As a rowing enthusiast who has attended many events ranging from friendly local regattas to national and Paralympic competitions, I saw an opportunity to make a positive impact on a number of rowing clubs throughout the UK.
What inspired you to create easyregatta?
It takes so much time and energy to run a regatta, even with a fantastic team of club members and volunteers helping. Reducing the stress on that team, as well as delivering better information for both competitors and spectators is what inspired me to create easyregatta.
It is easy for Rowing Clubs to use the same methods for planning and managing their regattas that they have done for years. I completely understand why, as many of the clubs I have spoken with simply haven’t got the time to look at improving their systems.
The key areas of potential improvement are in the planning stages of a regatta, and during race day(s) when everybody feels the pressure. This is where I knew I could help.
What are the shortcomings of other regatta management tools?
Most clubs have made some improvements to their regatta planning using software that is available. Typically this is using a spreadsheet saved on a PC or laptop. The problem with this approach is that information can be lost very easily, especially when on a riverbank.
Using a cloud based regatta management system means that race information and results can be stored safely. For spectators and competitors, a major benefit is the ability to view results instantly on a smartphone or tablet. These days quick and easy access to information is not just a luxury, it is something we have become dependant upon and expect.
A key feature of easyregatta is BROE integration. I’ve spoken with clubs that use software which may have been innovative in the past, but involves many steps including manual input of crews and competition data. This can take many hours and is where a lot of mistakes can be made. Clubs can save a lot of time and headaches by using the regatta wizard built into easyregatta. This crosschecks all the BROE data files before building the race plan in seconds.
FREE trial of easyregatta for Rowperfect readers!
To find out more or to benefit from a completely free 12 month trial of the easyregatta system, you can contact John Dickinson directly either on Twitter @easyregatta , Facebook, or via the website easyregatta.co.uk.
John Dickinson
