Civil engineering works to New Elvet Bridge mean that the river beneath the bridge is closed to all river traffic from 7am until 6pm Monday to Saturday inclusive.
The bridge, which was constructed in 1975, has been closed since July last year so that essential repairs can be carried out. The work is expected to take 15 months to complete.
Because of the closure the Regatta Short Course on Saturday will be shortened by 50 metres, making it 650 metres in length, finishing just downstream of Baths Bridge. Crews are advised to familiarize themselves with the finish position for Saturday. Short course races on Sunday will take place over the usual 700 metres.
Special arrangements are in place for competing clubs with boathouses downstream of Elvet Bridge who need to bring boats to the start prior to racing, and return them to their boathouse again afterwards. This affects two School Boat Clubs and 9 of the Durham University Colleges.
River closure at New Elvet Bridge
On Saturday 12th June the boom will be in position across the river and no boats will be able to proceed upstream of New Elvet Bridge after 7am or return to boathouses downstream of New Elvet Bridge until after 6pm. Boats needing to get upstream of New Elvet Bridge to the trailer park/boat field must therefore do so either by trailer or outside of the times stated above.
After the finish, crews will be marshalled towards a buoy and must turn around the buoy and queue on the racecourse side in single file awaiting instructions to proceed back upstream. Crews MUST NOT attempt to cross over the boom in place whilst work is being carried out on the bridge. Crews must be ready to respond promptly to instructions to move upriver back towards the landing stages at Durham ARC.
New Elvet Bridge with boom raised
On Sunday 13th June the River will be OPEN under New Elvet Bridge. Crews intending to take their boats up river must be off the water and in the trailer/boat field by 7:30am.
On Sunday, the short course finish will revert to its normal position, approximately 100 metres downriver of Baths Bridge.
After the finish, crews will be marshalled towards a buoy and must turn around the buoy and queue on the racecourse side in single file awaiting instructions to proceed back upstream. Crews that have been knocked out may proceed back to their boathouses below New Elvet Bridge UNLESS the boat is being used again, in which case it must be returned to the trailer/boat field.
Crews must take this into account when preparing to race and also the prevailing weather conditions e.g. hot and sunny, so that appropriate clothing and fluids may be taken in the boat.
Short Course Races Winner stays on in 2021 – To cater for the river closure and to reduce potential for interactions off the river, in 2021 on both Saturday and Sunday, the regatta will operate a system of “winner stays on” for short course races. For example,
- if there are 9 to 16 entries, heat winners will remain on the river and will be marshaled at the start to race the quarter-finals. After the quarter-finals there will be sufficient time in the schedule for semi-finalists to de-boat and return to the trailer/boat field prior to boating for their semis/finals;
- if there are 5 to 8 entries the quarter finals will be raced followed by a gap to allow return to the trailer/boat field. Then the crews will boat for their semis/finals.
- If there are 4 or fewer entries crews will boat and complete all their races before leaving the water.
The race order and timing of races will reflect this.