The University Safety Office has asked CUCBC to pass on some information regarding Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection which can cause mild flu like symptoms, but in rare cases can develop into Weil's Disease, which can be life threatening.

Rowers and Coxes are at risk of contracting Leptospirosis from the River Cam, especially if river water gets in contact with cuts or is ingested. Rowers are advised to use waterproof dressings on cuts wherever possible, avoid swallowing any river water and to use water bottles with sealable lids (to avoid water in the bottom of the boat coming into contact with the lip/opening of the bottle).

If you think you may have contracted Leptospirosis, or want to find more information, the NHS website has more.

The start of term captains' meeting is scheduled for 5pm on Sunday 18th of January in King's College in the Keyne's Hall (entrance via the Chetwynd Room through the bar).

The start of term captains' meeting is scheduled for 5pm on Sunday 12th October in King's College in the Audit Room. Directions will be in place from the porters lodge.

The new Early Moring marshals rota for this term has now been updated.

In accordance with Rule 34, the College clubs are required to provide marshals to enforce the early morning noise and traffic restrictions.

Marshals should arrive at their station promptly at lighting down and remain in position until 08:30. All of the equipment (bibs, clipboards, record sheets) can be found at LMBC Boat House (just to the left of the front door at the side of the building). Marshals should read the instructions on the website before arriving for duty - Marshals Instructions

Please check the rota very carefully for your club's slots. Clubs will be fined for failing to provide competent marshals.

If you have any queries about marshaling, or if marshals experience problems while on duty (lost equipment or unforeseen circumstances), please do not hesitate to contact the Executive Committee (committee@cucbc.org).

The Small Boats Regatta 2012 took place Monday 23rd - Wednesday 25th April.

The final results are now available. Congratulations to this year's winners.

The Colquhoun Sculls 2012 were won by Chris Kerr of St. Catharine's.

As you will no doubt be aware, the river has been freezing over recently due to the cold weather.

When there is substantial ice on the river (the guideline on the Cam is that the ice is more than 1mm thick more than 2m from the bank), crews should not boat. Ice poses a hazard to the hull as it can cut through the relatively thin and delicate composite material, in turn leading to swamping of the boat.

The river is now thawing out, though ice remains across the river at Ditton corner and on Plough Reach.

As the ice starts to thaw out now, the flag will be downgraded from red, though crews who do choose to boat should exercise extreme caution. If you encounter ice, turn back and do not attempt to row through it. As usual, if you don't think continuing or even boating in the first place is safe don't do it!

During busy periods of the day, we may keep a yellow rather than green flag as the restricted usable length of the river limits the number of crews that can safely be out at any one time.

Crews are advised to bring extra layers, kept in a plastic bag to keep them dry in the boat, or carried by coaches on the bank. Also, try not to sit around not moving (this includes fours or pairs sitting out during a warm up - keep rotating who's rowing) for extended periods of time. If anyone is displaying symptoms of hypothermia (turning pale, shivering, limited mobility, slow mental responses, slurred speech), they should put on extra layers and get back to the boathouse as quickly as possible to warm up.

Cyclists should exercise caution as there is substantial snow and ice on the towpath. This may mean you will need to spend more time looking where you are going rather than at your crew and you may need to cycle slower than usual over snowy or icy patches (common sense really!)

If you encounter any problems, please do report them to the CUCBC Executive Committee (committee [at] cucbc.org).

The schedule of the Lent Bumps 2012 has been altered, as agreed at the Michaelmas 2011 Captains' Meeting, to accommodate those crews wishing to race in the Women's Head of the River Race on Saturday 3rd March. All women's divisions will race every day Tuesday to Friday and will not race on Saturday. Men's divisions will race Tuesday to Saturday with one day off as normal.

• Division Times

From Monday 24th January until the end of the Lent Term, only first VIIIs will be permitted to boat each morning within the first 10 minutes after lighting down. All other crews may boat from 10 minutes after lighting down.

When warming up in the mornings (and any other times traffic density is high), please ensure you are rowing no less than half crew at half slide. Please keep moving on when it is safe to do so, so as not to cause a hold-up of traffic behind you. This will help congestion in the mornings and at busy times.

Rowers and coxes are reminded that there is to be no coaching from the bank and only essential coxing calls upstream of the Railway Bridge before 07:30. Inexperienced crews who are unable to make it to the Railway Bridge without coaching should not boat before 07:30.

Use of Vortex edge blades on the Cam

Having now looked extensively into the whole question of vortex edged blades and their use on the Cam, we are now happy for clubs to use this type of blade provided they are the modified type which came in at the tail end of last year. Therefore any club having purchased these blades after October 2009 may use them.

If anyone is unsure whether your blades conform then if a photograph of the blade edge is sent to me (safetyadvisor[at]cucbc.org) I can let you know.

The following rule will be in place from Monday, 25th January, 2010 until Saturday, 27th February, 2010 inclusive. It was decided to be introduced during the Captains' Meeting of 21st January.

"That for the 10 minutes following lighting down, no boat will be permitted to be on the water, save for college first VIII's and university crews."

(As it is now after 27th February, this rule is no longer in force.)