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The Great River Race will be rowed with the ebb tide, between Twickenham and Greenwich, by approximately 300 craft on Saturday 13th September 2008. The Race will start at 1400 from just down river of Ham Landing and competitors are expected to be passing through the City area of the river between 1630 and 1830.
To improve safety for competitors in the City area all piers on the south side of the river between Westminster and Tower Bridges will be temporarily closed to passenger and charter vessels between 1630 and 1830. The piers affected are Waterloo Millennium Pier, Festival Pier, Bankside Pier and London Bridge City Pier.
As Great River Race competitors row through the area, PLA Harbour Service Launches, with flashing blue lights, will be stationed as follows:
- Ahead, in the middle and immediately astern of the competing craft, to control navigation in the Race area.
- In Lambeth/King’s Reach, to control navigation as necessary.
Competitors have been instructed:
- to keep to the starboard side of the river at all times
- to use only those bridge arches specified in Race Guidance Notes and as indicated by Safety Boats – these are the southern arches in all cases
- not to overtake in bridge arches
- to follow all instructions from Safety and Marshal Boats and Harbour Service Launches
Masters of vessels operating between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge, not involved in the event, are to navigate with due care and attention given the number of low-freeboard craft transiting the area. They are requested not to impede competitors and are to follow all instructions from Harbour Service Launches.
Latest information on the Great River Race will be given during routine broadcasts by London VTS on VHF Channel 14 and further information will be available from Harbour Service Launches, call sign Thames Patrol, also on VHF Channel 14.
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