This year the Head Committee, in cooperation with the Skiffhead & Jeugd- en Tweehead will organise the Virtual Head of the River 2021.

This event is set to take place from the 20th of March until the 4th of April. Everyone is very welcome to participate in this virtual regatta – from beginners to masters to champions, from young to old, from the Netherlands to New-Zealand.

Participation is possible at two distances and in several sports:
·         The Virtual Head (8 km): rowing, ergometer, cycling, running
·         ½ Virtual Head (4 km): for rowing and ergometer

You can register in various age categories. Rowing is allowed in all Corona-proof boats and teams (e.g. C1, skiff, youth C4).

Keep an eye on our website, as the registration form will be available soon. Registration is possible until the end of the Virtual Head.

Timekeeping and results will be handled by Time-Team. The only thing you need is a device to record your race in a GPX-formatted file. For example, a mobile phone, smartwatch or sports watch. You will receive more technical information from Time-Team after registration.

The Virtual Winners will be sent a nice award and all participants receive an appropriate souvenir.     

Keep an eye on the website www.headoftheriver.nl, because the registration form will be published here soon. You can register until the end of the Virtual Head.

For the participation in the Virtual Head we ask for a voluntary contribution (about 5 euros per participant) to cover the costs. Any extra will be donated to the Fonds Gehandicaptensport.

Finally, please share your participation on our social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin!

It is possible to subscribe for the below sports and fields. Please use our Registration form.

Rowing:

ID	FIELD
01	Junior Men 14 C4*, 2.5 kilometer
02	Junior Men 16 1x, 4 kilometer
03	Junior Men 16 2x, 4 kilometer
04	Junior Men 16 4*, 4 kilometer
05	Junior Men 18 1x, 4 kilometer
06	Junior Men 18 2x, 4 kilometer
07	Junior Men 18 2x, 8 kilometer
08	Junior Men 18 4*, 4 kilometer
09	Juniors Women 14 C4*, 2.5 kilometer
10	Junior Women 16 1x, 4 kilometer
11	Junior Women 16 2x, 4 kilometer
12	Junior Women 16 4*, 4 kilometer
13	Junior Women 18 1x, 4 kilometer
14	Junior Women 18 2x, 4 kilometer
15	Junior Women 18 2x, 8 kilometer
16	Junior Women 18 4*, 4 kilometer
17	EJD 8+, 4 kilometer
18	EJD 8+, 8 kilometer
19	EJZ 8+, 4 kilometer
20	EJZ 8+, 8 kilometer
21	EJL 8+, 4 kilometer
22	EJL 8+, 8 kilometer
23	EJLD 4*, 4 kilometer
24	Men C4+, 4 kilometer
25	Men C4+, 4 kilometer
26	Men under 27 1x, 8 kilometer
27	Men under 27 1x, 4 kilometer
28	Men under 27 4+, 4 kilometer
29	Men under 27 Club4*, 4 kilometer
30	Men under 27 Club8, 4 kilometer
31	Men under 27 Club8, 8 kilometer
32	Men older then 27 1x, 8 kilometer
33	Men older then 27 1x, 4 kilometer
34	Women under 27 1x, 8 kilometer
35	Women under 27 1x, 4 kilometer
36	Women under 4+, 4 kilometer
37	Women under 27 Club4*, 4 kilometer
38	Women under 27 Club8, 4 kilometer
39	Women under 27 Club8, 8 kilometer
40	Women older then 27 1x, 8 kilometer
41	Women older then 27 1x, 4 kilometer
42	Mix 2x, 4 kilometer

 

Indoor rowing:

ID	FIELD
01	Men open 8 kilometer
02	Men open 4 kilometer
03	Men Masters (boven 27) 8 kilometer
04	Men Masters (boven 27) 4 kilometer
05	Women open 8 kilometer
06	Women open 4 kilometer
07	Women Masters (boven 27) 8 kilometer
08	Women Masters (boven 27) 4 kilometer

 

Other sports:

ID	FIELD
01	Running Men
02	Running Women
03	Bike Men
04	Bike Women
05	Other sport Men
06	Other sport Women

 

• At the top of the site click on Registration
• Fill in the registration form
• Don't forget your (voluntairy) support to the organisation and Fonds Gehandicaptensport (Use the payment link at the end of the registration form)
• Around the 19th of March you will receive an email from Time-Time with a lik to submit your race record to. (When subscribing after the 19th, you will receive the email within a few hours after your registration)
• (Indoor) Row, Cycle or Run your registred distance in the period between the 20th of March and the 4th of April. (Races recorded outside this period will not be evaluated)
• When you dont have a smart / sport watch, you can  download Strava on you mobile smart phone.
• Inform with your (rowing) club if they marked the 4 and 8km distances.
• Start Strava (or other GPS device) before you leave and stop when you return. Be sure your attempted distance is longer then the race distance (4-8km) to be sure you covered the minimum. Time-Team  will select automatically the fastest race distance within your attempt.
• Upload your record, using the link in the email you received from Time-Team. (Read the Manual if anything is unclear)
• If you are stuck and dont know how to proceed, first ask your friends at the (rowing) club. If that doesnt help you can always ask for help via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• And, last but not least, lots of fun and good luck!

Below you will find a manual to define your race track, using Google Earth (in Dutch).

 

When you have defined the start and finish location, you can use the below file to print your signs. Just print both sides, laminate then seperately and pin them on a wooden stick. This way the sign is perfectly visible from the water.

Please keep in mind, putting the sign on the side of the water to make the track slightly longer then the race track length, to ensure a minimum race track of 2.5-4-8km.

Time-Team will automatically select the fasted 2.5-4-8km section within your submitted race reccord.

Please find below some suggestions how to encourage your members to participate in the Virtual Head of the River 2021:

 

Virtual Head of the River 2021. For athletes of any age and any level.

A fantastic way for clubs to organise sports for ALL members. Covid-proof. Especially for members who would normally never race. This is the opportunity to participate in the (Skiff) Head. By doing what you would always do anyway, but only now you register the time . In these difficult times with many restrictions, this is an unique opportunity to participate in a virtual event that is allowed. Fun, sportsmanship and safety are the most important ingredients!

 

Virtual Head of the River 2021 as a training tool for competitive rowers.

Crews could participate in the Virtual Head of the River 2021 as a challenge to improve during two weeks . Compare individual performances with those of your crew mates. You could participate unlimited times in the same field during that period. Upload your performance in the same link which you received from Time-Team. The best results stands.  When you would participate in different sports or fields, athletes need to register for each of those sports/fields separately.

 

How to define a race track for the Virtual Head of the River 2021.

You can facilitate participation by already marking the distance using start and finish signs. Measure the distance generously : 3 km, 4.5 km and 8.5 km to ensure that you cover at least the distance in case athletes would cut of parts of the race track. Time-Team automatically selects the fastest 4 or 8 km from your performance. For course set-up and for templates of Virtual Head start and finish signs, please see our Q and A : How do I define my race track?

 

Help members to sign up and how to measure and upload performances.

It might happen that members would be hesitant to participate because of the 'technical side' of participation such as recording and uploading performances. Maybe there is a volunteer within the club who would be willing to assist. In case you would have questions you could also visit the website www.headoftheriver.nl  and look under Q & A.

 

Create a separate web page on your site

You can keep track of which members and teams are participating. Participants could also contribute times, experiences, photos or vlogs. In the Netherlands we organize a campaign 'We challenge you!', where former Olympians, students, veterans, para-rowers, etc. tell why they will participate in the Virtual Head of the River 2021 (see website and socials). At club level members could also challenge each other.

 

Participate wearing Virtual Head t-shirts?

Virtual Head t-shirts are for sale at Roeigoed for € 12.50 each (excluding shipping costs). In the Time-Team confirmation email, each participant will receive a discount code worth € 2,50.

 

Virtual Head of the River 2021 poster and interviews

On the website www.headoftheriver.nl  under Q & A you can download our poster and interviews to display at your club/boathouse.

 

Participants are asked for a voluntary contribution

We kindly ask each participant for a voluntary contribution (approx.€5) in an effort to cover the costs (e.g. Time-Team). In case there would be a surplus we will donate to the Fonds Gehandicaptensport.  We would very much appreciate if you would mention this in your communications about the Virtual Head of the River 2021.

Download here your Virtual Head of the River 2021 poster to print and to make others join this event!