Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Rowing Power Index?

The Rowing Power Index (RPI) is a Bayesian power-rating system for scholastic and youth rowing. It turns published race results into a single rating per crew that you can compare, rank, and project.

Who runs the site?

The Rowing Power Index is built and maintained by Christopher L. Kilner, PhD, under Hibernian Ventures. It is independent and not affiliated with any league, federation, or governing body.

Is the RPI an official rating?

No. The RPI is an independent, opinionated ranking based on race results. It has no formal status with regattas, conferences, or governing bodies.

How is a crew's rating calculated?

We fit a hierarchical Bayesian model on every result we have ingested. Each race produces a likelihood update for the crews involved, weighted by margin and field strength. Full details are on the methodology page.

How often are ratings updated?

Ratings recompute daily once new race results are ingested. During championship season this can mean many crews shift several points overnight.

Where does the data come from?

We ingest results from public regatta sites, school and league pages, and community submissions. See the data sources page for the full list.

Why isn't my crew rated?

The RPI rates crews that have raced enough head-to-head events for the model to place them. If a crew is missing or has very few races, please submit results via the community submissions page.

Are rankings free?

Yes. Full rankings, filters, sparklines, and championship projections are free for everyone, forever.

What does the simulator do?

The matchup simulator runs Monte Carlo simulations of a head-to-head race between any two crews using each crew's current posterior, returning win probability and a margin distribution.

What are prediction markets and Crew Coins?

Prediction markets let you trade binary “yes/no” positions on race outcomes using Crew Coins, an in-app virtual currency. Crew Coins have no cash value, cannot be redeemed, and are entertainment only. Full rules are in our Terms of Service.

Are pick'em brackets gambling?

No. Brackets and pick'em entries score points and produce leaderboards but pay no prizes and involve no real money. They are purely for fun.

How do I sign up?

Use Google, GitHub, or Discord on the sign-in page. We do not store passwords; authentication is handled by your OAuth provider.

What do paid tiers unlock?

Free (Novice) gets all rankings and basic tools. JV and Varsity tiers unlock more simulations, deeper team views, brackets, and larger prediction-market bankrolls. See the community & pricing page for the full breakdown.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. You can cancel from your account page at any time. You'll keep access to your paid tier until the end of your current billing period.

Is there a student or coach discount?

Not yet, but we're working on it. If you're a coach or rowing program, reach out and we'll sort something out.

I see my name in a race result — can I have it removed?

Yes. We honor removal requests from athletes, parents, and guardians. Reach us via the contact page with the team and athlete name and we will act promptly.

I coach this team — how do I claim it?

Visit the team page and follow the “Claim this team” flow. Once verified, you can post announcements, fix race results, and update team metadata directly.

I see a wrong race result — how do I correct it?

Use the contact page with a link or screenshot of the official result and we will fix it. Verified team managers can submit corrections directly.

How do I submit results from my regatta?

Use the submission page to upload PDFs or paste lineups and times. Submissions go through admin review before being added to the rankings.

What data does the site collect?

For users: OAuth profile fields, the bits of profile you choose to share, and your activity within the site (picks, market trades, comments). For non-users: published rowing results. Full breakdown in our Privacy Policy.

Do you run analytics or advertising?

No third-party analytics, no advertising, no tracking pixels. We use only authentication and onboarding storage. Details are in the Cookie Policy.

How do I get in touch?

Use the contact page for anything — corrections, removals, partnership questions, bug reports.