Thames Punting Club
Encyclopedia
The Thames Punting Club is the governing body in England for the sport of punt racing
.
The Thames Punting Club maintains lists of umpires and publishes a handbook containing rules and bye-laws for those organizing punt races on the Thames. Punting uses a complex system of Handicapping
and the TPC sets the handicaps of individual punters.
The TPA organises the annual Thames Punting Championships.
Races are normally held in standard "2 foot punts", that is punts that are 2 ft (60 cm) wide in the middle and about 18 inches (45 cm) wide at each end and these are subject to handicap rules. There are also non-handicap races for punts which have no restrictions on width or length. Punts used for these races are called "best boats" or "best-and-best" punts; the name comes from the "best" boat that you can find and the "best" boat that your opponent can. The narrowest of these boats are no more than 15 inches (40 cm) wide. All racing punts generally have a till at both ends, and may have canvas covers to reduce the amount of water splashing into the boat.
Races are normally held over a distance of up to 880 yards (800 m) along the bank on a straight reach of the river. Each end of the course is marked by a pair of poles called "ryepeck
s" which are firmly pushed into the river bed before the race. Races are always one punt against another, and are either singles or doubles races depending on the number of punters in the punts. One punt has the inner lane and the other the outer lane. If the outer lane has consistently deeper water, or if there is a significant adverse bend, then the length of the outer course may be reduced to make the race more even.
The competitors usually start with their punts' sterns level with the line between the downstream ryepecks, punt to the upstream ryepecks, and then punt back. The winner is the first to pass the line of the starting ryepecks or the first one to hit his or her own ryepeck. In doubles, both punters must still be in the boat at the finish. The turn at the upstream ryepecks is done by "stopping-up"; that is the competitor passes the ryepeck on the outside, stops his or her punt with the pole just upstream of the ryepeck, turns to face the stern of the boat and punts back in the other direction, passing the ryepeck on the inside.
All clubs also include participation in the partner traditional river sport – skiffing
. Clubs also encourage youngsters to take part in punting, which may be easier for persons with a lower centre of gravity. Some clubs incorporate dongola racing
, dragon boat racing and canoeing
.
Punt (boat)
A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, designed for use in small rivers or other shallow water. Punting refers to boating in a punt. The punter generally propels the punt by pushing against the river bed with a pole...
.
History and constitution
Punting as a means of water travel has a long history in the United Kingdom and is now practiced recreationally on a number of rivers, being most obviously associated with Oxford and Cambridge universities. Punt racing, as a sport developed in the 1880s. Thames Punting Club was formed in 1885 as a racing club. It is now no longer a racing club but functions as the sport's governing body.The Thames Punting Club maintains lists of umpires and publishes a handbook containing rules and bye-laws for those organizing punt races on the Thames. Punting uses a complex system of Handicapping
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
and the TPC sets the handicaps of individual punters.
The TPA organises the annual Thames Punting Championships.
Punt racing
Races are normally held over a distance of up to 880 yards (800 m) along the bank on a straight reach of the river. Each end of the course is marked by a pair of poles called "ryepeck
Ryepeck
A ryepeck is a pole used to mark the ends of a punt race course. For a description of racing in punts and the use of ryepecks, see Thames Punting Club....
s" which are firmly pushed into the river bed before the race. Races are always one punt against another, and are either singles or doubles races depending on the number of punters in the punts. One punt has the inner lane and the other the outer lane. If the outer lane has consistently deeper water, or if there is a significant adverse bend, then the length of the outer course may be reduced to make the race more even.
The competitors usually start with their punts' sterns level with the line between the downstream ryepecks, punt to the upstream ryepecks, and then punt back. The winner is the first to pass the line of the starting ryepecks or the first one to hit his or her own ryepeck. In doubles, both punters must still be in the boat at the finish. The turn at the upstream ryepecks is done by "stopping-up"; that is the competitor passes the ryepeck on the outside, stops his or her punt with the pole just upstream of the ryepeck, turns to face the stern of the boat and punts back in the other direction, passing the ryepeck on the inside.
Punting events
- Egham RegattaEgham RegattaEgham Regatta is a rowing regatta on the River Thames in England which takes place at the end of June on the reach above Bell Weir Lock near Egham, Surrey. The regatta is run from Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club and the Runnymede Pleasure Grounds on the outskirts of Egham.The regatta was...
- Sunbury Amateur RegattaSunbury Amateur RegattaThe Sunbury Amateur Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames at Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England. It takes place at Rivermead Island, downstream of Sunbury Lock....
- Chertsey RegattaChertsey RegattaChertsey in Shepperton Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames in England which takes place on Dumsey Meadow near Chertsey, Surrey.The regatta was inaugurated in 1851 and is one of the oldest on the river. Early records are sparse but it is known that in two years the regatta was held upstream of...
- Hampton Court and Dittons RegattaHampton Court and Dittons RegattaHampton Court and Dittons Regatta is a regatta on the River Thames in England which takes place at Thames Ditton, Surrey beside Hampton Court Palace....
- Walton Reach Regatta
- The Thames Punting Championships (held at Maidenhead)
- Individual Club regattas
Punting clubs
There are several English skiff and punting clubs on the Thames.- The Skiff ClubThe Skiff ClubThe Skiff Club is the oldest skiff and punting club in existence, having been founded in 1895. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Middlesex bank between Teddington Lock and Kingston upon Thames....
- Thames Valley Skiff ClubThames Valley Skiff ClubThames Valley Skiff Club is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1923. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Surrey bank between Sunbury Lock and Walton on Thames....
- Wraysbury Skiff and Punting ClubWraysbury Skiff and Punting ClubWraysbury Skiff and Punting Club is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1931. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Surrey bank between Bell Weir Lock and Runnymede....
- Dittons Skiff and Punting ClubDittons Skiff and Punting ClubDittons Skiff and Punting Club or Dittons is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1923. It is based on the River Thames with a club and boat house at Thames Ditton on the reach above Teddington Lock...
- Wargrave Boating ClubWargrave Boating ClubWargrave Boating Club is an English water sports club. It is based on the River Thames in England, at Wargrave on the reach above Marsh Lock....
All clubs also include participation in the partner traditional river sport – skiffing
Skiffing
Skiffing refers to the sporting and leisure activity of rowing a Thames skiff. A Thames skiff is a traditional hand built clinker-built wooden craft of a design which has been seen on the River Thames and other waterways in England and other countries for nearly 200 years...
. Clubs also encourage youngsters to take part in punting, which may be easier for persons with a lower centre of gravity. Some clubs incorporate dongola racing
Dongola racing
Dongola racing is a popular event in traditional local regattas, especially on the River Thames in southern England and was first competed at Maidenhead in 1886. Competitors use wide punts and a team of people with single-bladed paddles, facing forwards and kneeling, normally with one leg up and...
, dragon boat racing and canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
.