Boat Race Officials are an essential part of our regatta experience. We are always on the lookout for more people who are interested in being part of this team and providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all athletes at WA regattas.

Our goal is to update this page fortnightly with short snippets providing insight into what is involved in the different roles you can take on as an RWA B.R.O. If any pique your interest, check out the information on becoming a B.R.O. to see the formal pathway to becoming part of the team.

Early next year, we will have a come and try session at one of our regattas, where you will be able to try some of the different roles that are required and see if any might be for you.

Some quick myth-busting:

1. No, you do not have to be available for every regatta to be part of the B.R.O. team. If you are currently racing in one of our regatta types, you can put your hand up to help at those where you wouldn't be racing or if you're a parent who is interested in getting involved you don't have to commit yourself to the whole calendar of racing. 
   • For example, a current competitive Masters rower could help at Schools regattas or Pennant regattas if they aren't racing. A current parent might want to watch their child's racing up close and only help at All Schools regattas or PSA/IGSSA regattas. You might be a non-competitive rower who is looking to jump into something new, but not unfamiliar.
2. No, you do not have to have rowing experience to be part of the B.R.O. team. Everything can be taught to you, and there are roles that are not on the water. If you'd rather be part of the team on land, that's okay, and if you'd rather be on the water, that's also something we can work with. 
   • Our existing B.R.O. team will teach you any relevant lingo, and you can also have a look here for a list of commonly used rowing terms and their explanations.
3. Yes, it is lots of fun to be part of making sure that everyone has an enjoyable race experience without being part of the race itself. Helping the event run smoothly, safely and fairly is important, and we'd love to have you join the team.

The Marshals

At most regattas at Champion Lakes, we have two Marshals:

• The Bridge Marshal, a.k.a. “The Troll” (please refer to the children’s story Billy Goat Gruff), or Marshal 1, who is usually a member of the host club.
• The Water Marshal, who is mobile in a boat, a.k.a. Marshal 2, who is a certified BRO. The second function of the Water Marshal is to act as a backup safety boat.

At most regattas, the Marshals are the first officials the rowers will see. The role of the Marshals is:

• To assist rowers as they approach the start line. The Marshal will have a megaphone to communicate with the rowers and a radio to communicate with the other BROs.
• This may include assisting, if possible, with any equipment issues or contacting coaches on behalf of rowers to fix equipment issues. The Marshal will usually carry basic rowing tools.
• To provide guidance to rowers on where their race will assemble before moving onto the course. There are different assembly areas on the course depending on whether the race is 2,000m, 1,500m, 1,000m or 500m.
• To communicate with rowers if they need to hurry to get to their start.
• To communicate with other BROs about whether they have seen a crew and whether a crew that is running late is near the start.

The Marshals play a crucial role in the efficient running of the regatta.

Stay tuned for the breakdown of our other B.R.O. roles. If you are interested in being part of the team, reach out to us here.