Crews may move anywhere within the course during the race as long as they do not impede another crew. If a crew starts in lane 1 and is in lane 3 by the 500 meter mark, continues heading out and ends up crossing the finish line in lane 5 without interfering with the progress of any other boat, the race is fair. Coxswains who weigh less than the minimum are forced to carry additional weight. In international competitions, coxswains must be the same gender as the crew. There is an international rule requiring all members of the crew to wear the same headgear and uniform.
Flags are the referees' way to signal crews.
Red means stop and is used to start the race. White flags signal a fair race and direct a crew headed for trouble. Lightweight events indicate the weight of the rower, not the boat. All rowers weigh in each day they race. The window of opportunity for weigh ins is not more than two hours and not less than one hour before their first race of the day.