Every year, the barges compete in a series of races, with the barge securing the most points being declared Champion Barge for that year.
There are three classes – Coasting, Staysail and Bowsprit.
(NOTE – The class definitions may vary in the different matches)
Races are held on the Medway, Blackwater, Thames, Colne, Swale, Orwell, and a Passage Rally from the Medway to the Orwell. There is also an unofficial match at Whitstable every year.
Barge matches for 2019 are:
May 25th Medway Barge Match
8th June Blackwater Smack and Barge Match
22nd June Thames Barge Match
20th July Passage Rally
27th July Pin Mill Barge Match
10th August Swale Smack and Barge Match
Southend Barge Match – No race 2019
7th September Colne Barge Match
other events:
22nd June Rowhedge Regatta
6th July Wivenhoe Town Regatta
27th July OGA East Coast Race
3rd August Whitstable Harbour Day Barge Race
8th September Mersea Dredging Match
21st September Maldon Regatta
Medway
Coasting class:
1 Orinoco, (fastest start, first round outer mark)
1. Lady of the Lea
3 Centaur
4 Ardwina
Restricted Staysail Class
1 Niagara (first round outer mark)
2 Edith May (fastest start 6 seconds)
3 Ironsides
4 Repertor retired
Bowsprit Class
1. Edme (first round outer mark)
2 Adieu (fastest start, best rounding of outer mark)
3 Marjorie
Blackwater Match
Slow Staysail Class
1 George Smeed, (fastest start in class 3m 47s, first round outer mark in class)
2 Centaur, (best rounding of outer mark)
Senior Staysail Class
1 Niagara, (first round outer mark in class)
2 Reminder, (fastest start in class 1m 41s)
Repertor (retired after rounding outer mark.)
Bowsprit Class
1 Edme, (first round outer mark in class)
2 Blue Mermaid
3 Mirosa, (fastest start in class 1m 15s)
4 Cambria
Thames Match
Coasting Class
1 Lady Daphne, (first across start line (6m 50s), first round outer mark)
2 Lady of the Lea
3 Thalatta, (Overall Seamanship)
Champion Staysail Class
1 Ironsides, (first across start line (2m m51s), first round outer mark)
2 Edith May
3 Niagara
4 Repertor
Champion Bowsprit Class
1 Adieu, (first across start line (55s), fastest start overall, first round outer mark)
2 Blue Mermaid
3 Marjorie
2019 CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
| MEDWAY | BLACKWATER | THAMES | PIN MILL | SWALE | COLNE | TOTAL POINTS | POINTS WITH 1 DISCARD | POSITION IN CLASS | POSITION OVERALL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADIEU | 6 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| BLUE MERMAID | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 6 | ||||
| CAMBRIA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 17= | |||||
| EDME | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 2= | ||||
| KITTY | ||||||||||
| MARJORIE | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 11 | ||||
| MIROSA | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 12= | |||||
| EDITH MAY | 6 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 2= | 4= | ||||
| IRONSIDES | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 2= | 4= | ||||
| MELISSA | ||||||||||
| NIAGARA | 6 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 2= | |||
| REMINDER | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 12= | |||||
| REPERTOR | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | |||
| ARDWINA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 17= | |||||
| CENTAUR | 3 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 1- | 7= | ||||
| GEORGE SMEED | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1= | 7= | |||||
| LADY DAPHNE | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1= | 7= | |||||
| LADY OF THE LEA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5= | 14= | ||||
| ORINOCO | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1= | 7= | |||||
| THALATTA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5= | 14= | |||||
Breakdown of points awarded::
MEDWAY 2019
Edme 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for first round outer mark in class total 6 points
Adieu 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, 1 point for fastest start in class and 1 point for seamanship (Best rounding) total 6 points
Marjorie 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 1 point for third in class total 3 points
Niagara 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for first round outer mark in class total 6 points
Edith May 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, 1 point for fastest start in class, 1 point for fastest start overall total 6 points
Ironsides 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 1 point for third in class total 3 points
Repertor 1 point for starting, retired total 1 point
Orinoco 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for first round outer, 1 point for fastest start in class total 7 points
Lady of the Lea 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class total 4 points
Centaur 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 1 point for third in class total 3 points
Ardwina 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing total 2 points
BLACKWATER 2019
Edme 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for first round outer mark in class, total 6 points
Blue Mermaid 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, total 4 points
Mirosa 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 1 point for third in class, 1 point for fastest start in class, 1 point for fastest start overall, total 5 points
Cambria 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, total 2 points
Niagara 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for first round outer mark in class, total 6 points
Reminder 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, 1 point for fastest start in class, total 5 points
Repertor 1 point for starting (retired), total 1 point
George Smeed 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for fastest start in class, 1 point for first round outer mark in class, total 7 points
Centaur 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, total 4 points
THAMES 2019
Adieu 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for fastest start in class, 1 point for fastest start overall and 1 point for first round outer mark in class, total 8 points
Blue Mermaid 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, total 4 points
Marjorie 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 1 points for third in class, total 3 points
Ironsides 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for fastest start in class and 1 point for first round outer mark in class, total 7 points
Edith May 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, total 4 points
Niagara 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 1 points for third in class, total 3 points
Repertor 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, total 2 points
Lady Daphne 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 3 points for first in class, 1 point for fastest start in class and 1 point for first round outer mark in class, total 7 points
Lady of the Lea 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 2 points for second in class, total 4 points
Thalatta 1 point for starting, 1 point for finishing, 1 points for third in class and 1 point for seamanship, total 4 points
2018 CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
| BARGE | MEDWAY | PIN MILL | BLACKWATER | THAMES | SWALE | COLNE | Total Points | Total Points with 1 discard | Position in Class | Position Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADIEU | 1 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 11= | |||||
| DAWN | 6 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 7= | |||||
| EDME | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 34 | 1 | 1= | ||
| KITTY | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 21= | ||||||
| MARJORIE | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 5 | |||
| MIROSA | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 9= | |||||
| EDITH MAY | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 17= | ||||||
| IRONSIDES | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 14= | |||||
| MELISSA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 21= | ||||||
| NIAGARA | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 39 | 34 | 1 | 1= | |
| REMINDER | 5 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 11= | |||||
| REPERTOR | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 22 | 2 | 4 | |
| ARDWINA | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 13 | ||||||
| BLACKTHORN | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 16 | |||||
| CAMBRIA | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 6 | ||||
| CENTAUR | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 7= | ||||
| GEORGE SMEED | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8= | 17= | ||||||
| LADY DAPHNE | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 14= | ||||||
| LADY OF THE LEA | 6 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 25 | 25 | 1 | 3 | |||
| ORINOCO | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8= | 17= | ||||||
| PUDGE | 4 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 9= | ||||
| THALATTA | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 20 | ||||||
2017 CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
| Barge | Medway | Blackwater | Pin Mill | Thames | Swale | Southend | Colne | Total Points | Total points with 1 discard | Position in Class | Position Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adieu | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 3= | 6= | |||
| Marjorie | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 3= | 3= | ||
| Mirosa | 7 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 2 | 4+ | |||
| Edme | 6 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 52 | 46 | 1 | 1 |
| Edith May | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 10 | |||
| Ironsides | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 16 | |||||
| Melissa | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 17= | |||||
| Niagara | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 40 | 36 | 1 | 2 |
| Reminder | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Repertor | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 4 | |
| Ardwina | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 15 | ||||||
| Blackthorn | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 4= | 12= | |||||
| Cambria | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 16 | 1= | 6= | ||||
| Centaur | 5 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 4= | 12= | |||||
| Cygnet | 5 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 11 | |||||
| Dinah | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 19 | ||||||
| Lady of the Lea | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 16 | 1= | 6= | |||
| Pudge | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 14 | |||||
| Thalatta | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 17= |