ELIGIBILITY
All team members must be aged under 19 on 31st August 2025. No ringer may ring in more than one team, except as follows: if a team meets short due to illness, or other circumstances, a maximum of one ringer may be drafted in from another team. Reserves for any team should not be members of other teams unless the above circumstances apply.
FORMAT
Teams may choose to ring either six or eight bells. There will be three contests:
- Class 1: Beginner Call Changes (six bell only)
- Class 2: Advanced Call Changes
- Subcategory 1: Six bell entries
- Subcategory 2: Eight bell entries
- Class 3: Method
- Subcategory 1: Six bell entries
- Subcategory 2: Eight bell entries
COMPETITION RULES
Class 1: Beginner Call Changes
- A minimum of 80 rows should be rung (from the first change to the last backstroke row before rounds at the end).
- The test piece shall start and end in rounds and should include the row Queens (135246).
- Rows will be marked from the first change to the last row before rounds at the end.
- Teams may supply someone to count rows during their test piece, if desired.
Class 2: Advanced Call Changes
- A minimum of 120 rows on six and a minimum of 160 rows on eight should be rung (from the first change to the last backstroke row before rounds at the end).
- The test piece shall start and end in rounds and include the rows Queens (135246 or 13572468) and Kings (531246 or 75312468).
- Three different bells (including the treble) must lead during the test piece
- Rows will be marked from the first change to the last row before rounds at the end.
- Any rows under the minimum number of 120 rows on six or 160 rows on eight shall incur additional faults.
- Teams may supply someone to count rows during their test piece, if desired.
Class 3: Method
- Teams can select one touch from the following lists to ring as their test piece:
- Six bell:
- 12 leads of Plain Hunt (on 5 or 6)
- 120 of Plain Bob or Grandsire Doubles
- 120 of Plain Bob Minor
- 120 of St Clements Bob Minor
- 1 plain course of Cambridge Surprise Minor
- Eight bell:
- 11 leads of Plain Hunt (on 7 or 8)
- 112 of Plain Bob or Grandsire Triples
- 1 plain course of Plain Bob Major
- 112 Little Bob Major
- 1 half course of Cambridge or Yorkshire Surprise Major
- Rows will be marked from the first change to the first row of rounds at the end (inclusive).
- Rounds before and after the test piece will not be marked (note that the row when the touch comes into rounds is part of the test piece).
- Judging of this class will be primarily focused on the standard of ringing executed in the test piece. Once the test piece has been completed, a percentage adjustment will be applied to reflect the complexity of the method rung.
The team who rings the winning piece in Class 1 will be awarded a prize provided by the RWNYC team. The teams who ring the winning pieces in each of the subcategories for Class 2 will each be awarded a prize provided by the RWNYC team. The judges will then select their overall winner from the two winning pieces and that team will be awarded the RW Editor’s Trophy for Excellence. The teams who ring the winning pieces in each of the subcategories for Class 3 will each be awarded a prize provided by the RWNYC team. The judges will then select their overall winner from the two winning pieces and that team will be awarded the Whitechapel Trophy. The Judges’ decision is final.
STARTING SIGNAL
The signal for the start of the test piece shall be two whole pulls on the treble and second (i.e. 1212, 1212).
GENERAL
Entry is accepted at the discretion of the Organisers and teams shall be bound by the rules of the Contest.
Each team will be allocated a time slot in the tower, during which they may adjust ropes, practice for 5 minutes in a way that is most appropriate to them, give the starting signal and
then ring their test piece. Any team failing to complete their test piece within 12 minutes of starting their practice may incur additional faults.
The conductor must be a participating team member, conducting whilst ringing. A steward, appointed by the Contest Organisers, will be present in the tower for each team.
In addition, an adult plus up to 2 reserves may accompany the team in the tower, but must play no part other than:
- To assist with rope adjustments, if required.
- To count rows during the test piece for a team ringing Call Changes, if desired.
- To assist in an emergency.
There shall be no coaching of teams in the tower by non-contestants.
Other non-contestants shall not be allowed in the tower, except with the express permission of the Contest Organisers.
The Whitechapel Trophy and the Editor’s Trophy remain the property of The Ringing World Ltd and must be returned on request.
