row without a rudder following a collision with Waikato; the race was restarted following the collision, caused by Cambridge failing to yield to the Waikato boat. Layout The boats used for the Great Race are custom built identical heavyweight men's eights from KIRS (Kiwi International Rowing Skiffs) in Cambridge, New Zealand. The nature of the river creates a highly technical course, with the current frequently switching from side to side of the river over the length of the course. This creates an advantage to the team on the side that the current is not on. The current ranges in speed from 0.64 m/s to 1.30 m/s. The slower water has the potential of slowing down a rowing boat down by 1.5 km/h over the length of the race. The race passes under four bridges along its length. The visiting crew is flown out to New Zealand and entertained for the period of their stay. In the past this has included accommodation and use of the world class rowing facilities at Lake Karapiro. A full itinerary is organised for the crew, which allows them to really get a taste of New Zealand and make their stay in New Zealand a truly memorable one. Past crews have commented that this has really helped strengthen team bonding as well as making the long journey to New Zealand extremely enjoyable. The race is treated very seriously by both crews and visiting coxswains and coaches are given full briefings on the complexities of the Waikato River and the race course. The event has a high profile in the Hamilton community and as such the visiting crews attract a lot of media attention. Rowing on the river starts at 9 am with corporate crews battling for work place bragging rights. This is followed by the secondary school races, which has the top NZ school crews and girls) racing over a 3 km upstream course. The boys' race is traditionally between Hamilton Boys' High School and various other schools from around the Waikato and Auckland. The day culminates in the two international races – the Bryan Gould Cup (woman) and the Harry Mahon Trophy (men) – raced over the 4.2 km Great Race course. The event draws crowds of 20,000 + to the river banks in Hamilton and is covered by national radio and television. Spectator entertainment takes on a carnival atmosphere with corporate hosting, street theatre,