BCU SPRINT RACING REGULATIONS & ADMINISTRATION
These regulations are bound to the Articles of Association of the British Canoe Union. ("BCU") and were approved by the Board of the BCU (“Board”) in December 2004.
1.Title
1.1 The Committee shall be called the BCU Sprint Racing Committee.
2.Objectives
2.1 The Committee interests itself in all matters arising out of and in connection with canoe and kayak sprint racing in Great Britain. Sprint racing is held over distances up to and including 5000 metres on racing courses which are designed to be as flat and still as possible.
2.2 The Committee's objectives are to encourage club, regional, national and international sprint races.
2.3 Its primary responsibilities are: -
(a) To organise and conduct National Championships and other competitions on behalf of the BCU.
(b) To set and publish competition rules and make recommendations for the conduct of national and regional regattas.
(c) To give advice, guidance, and encouragement to sponsors of sprint racing in Great Britain.
(d) To select, train and administer teams representing Great Britain in international events.
(e) To select, train and administer teams representing England in international events.
(f) To train competition officials.
(g) To develop good coaching within regions and clubs.
(h) To maintain disciplinary regulations.
(i) To act as final authority in disputes, protests and appeals with regard to sprint racing rules and competitions.
3. Committee
3.1 The Committee shall comprise up to 12 persons, being Full Individual Members of the BCU. This total shall include the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer but does not include national delegates, co-opted members or the representative from the Regional Development Teams.
3.2 Members of the Committee shall serve for approximately two years and shall be eligible to stand for re-election at alternate Annual Consultative Meetings. One half of the elected members shall retire at each Annual Consultative Meeting.
3.3 The Chairman of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual Consultative Meeting and shall serve until the next Annual Consultative Meeting and be eligible to stand for re-election.
3.4 Persons who are employees of the BCU or National Associations may serve as members of the Committee with the consent of the Board.
3.5 The Committee shall appoint from within their membership (including co-opted members), a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers the Committee considers necessary for its administration and representation on other committees.
3.6 The Chairman has a seat on the World Class Management Group and the Committee shall appoint a representative to sit on the Sports Management Committee (SMC).
3.7 One representative of the sprint racing representatives on the English Regional Development Teams shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Committee as a non-voting member.
4. Co-options
4.1 Committee may co-opt not more than three Full Individual Members to serve on the Committee until the next Annual Consultative Meeting. Co-opted members shall have the same voting rights as other Committee members.
5. Nominations
5.1 Nominations of candidates for election at the Annual Consultative Meeting shall be made to the Secretary of the Committee in writing supported by the signatures of two Full Individual Members of the BCU and must reach the Secretary by 1st August prior to the Annual Consultative Meeting.
6. Proceedings of the Committee
6.1 The Committee shall meet at least twice in each calendar year and shall report to the SMC, which in turn shall report to the Board.
6.2 At least seven days notice of meetings shall be given in writing (by post, email or fax) to all members of the Committee.
6.3 The Secretary shall keep minutes of the proceedings of the Committee and of the Annual Consultative Meeting. Copies of the minutes shall be sent to the SMC. Copies of the agenda and minutes shall be sent to the regional sprint racing representatives.
6.4 Six of the members entitled to attend and vote at a meeting shall form a quorum of the Committee. Voting shall be by show of hands only and each member shall have one vote.
6.5 The Treasurer shall keep such books of account as the Board and the Committee may from time to time direct. The accounts of the Committee shall be submitted annually to the SMC, made up to 31 October. Approved costs of members attending meetings shall be paid.
7. General Meetings
7.1 The Annual Consultative Meeting shall be held during the final National Regatta of the season which is usually in September.
7.2 At least 21 clear days' notice of the date, time and place of General Meetings shall be given to each affiliated club that has registered its interest in sprint racing with the Committee. Clubs register an interest by competing at any national or regional regatta in the period since the last Annual Consultative Meeting. The agenda for a General Meeting, details of the business to be discussed at the meeting and of the persons nominated for election shall accompany the notice of meeting.
7.3 The business of the Annual Consultative Meeting shall be:
(a) to receive the report of the Chairman;
(b) to receive a summary statement of accounts;
(c) to elect persons nominated to serve on the Committee, including the Chairman.
(d) to consider any items included in the notice of meeting. Any conclusions reached on such items shall stand as recommendations for further consideration by the Committee.
7.4 Only business notified in the notice of meeting shall be transacted.
7.5 Any item for the agenda at the Annual Consultative Meeting shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Committee in writing supported by the signatures of two Full Individual Members of the BCU and must reach the Secretary by 1st August prior to the Annual Consultative Meeting. Other items may be discussed at the discretion of the Chairman.
7.6 No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum of members is present at the time the meeting proceeds to do business. A quorum shall be eight Voting Members.
7.7 The Chairman of the Committee shall preside at General Meetings. If the Chairman is known to be unable to attend or if he remains absent 30 minutes after the schedule start time of the meeting, the voting members present may choose a voting member to take the chair.
7.8 "Voting Member" means any club or organisation affiliated to the BCU who participate in and have registered an interest in sprint racing. Each voting member represented at a General Meeting by a Full Individual Member shall be entitled to one vote.
7.9 The Chairman shall not be entitled to vote other than when a casting vote is required.
7.10 Voting shall be by a show of hands unless two or more voting members are present or the Chairman requests a poll.
7.11 A General Meeting may be called at any time at the discretion of the Committee or by notice in writing to the Secretary by not less than 10 voting members. Such notice must state in the form of a motion the business to be discussed and be signed on behalf of the voting members. The Committee shall convene a General Meeting within 60 days of receipt of such notice.
8. Sub-committees
8.1 The Committee may, with the prior approval of the SMC, appoint a sub-committee, standing or otherwise, for a specific period and with a specific brief. The Committee shall appoint one of its number to chair the sub-committee and all members shall be Full Individual Members of the BCU. The Committee shall supervise and be responsible to SMC for the work of its sub-committees and shall fund its sub-committees from within its set approved budget.
9. Financial Budget
9.1 The Committee shall set a specific annual budget each year for approval by the SMC.
10. Trophies
10.1 The Committee shall approve the list of trophies which are the property of the committee and are awarded each year. The Committee shall also determine and publish the basis for competition for these trophies.
11. National Championships
11.1 Each year the Committee shall organise or nominate a National Championship Regatta.
a) This regatta shall include races for the majority of the National Championship classes and distances.
b) Any National Championship races not included in the National Championships Regatta shall be included in the other National Sprint Regattas held that season
c) The winners of the classes shall be considered the National Sprint Racing Champions in their respective classes