Head of the Charles Regatta
Encyclopedia
The Head of the Charles Regatta, also known as HOCR or HOTC, is a rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...

 race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October each year on the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...

, which separates Boston and Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...

, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. The race is named the "Head" of the Charles because it is a head race
Head race
A head race is a time-trial competition in the sport of rowing, also known as crew to a few USA organizations. Head races are typically held in the fall and spring seasons. These events draw many athletes as well as observers...

. It is the second largest 2-day regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...

 in the world, with more than 8,900 athletes rowing in around 1,750 boats in 56 events. It attracts about 300,000 spectators throughout Regatta weekend. The Head of the Charles Regatta is run by an office of 3 and approximately 1,500 volunteers. The regatta is hosted by Cambridge Boat Club, a rowing and social club founded in 1909 that lies just before the Eliot bridge, on the Cambridge side of the river.

The last races of the Regatta are generally the most prestigious: Championship 4s, and Championship 8s (both men and women). Championship sculling events (1x/single and 2x/double) race on Saturday afternoon. The Championship events usually include current U.S. National Team athletes.

The competitive field includes individual and team competitors from colleges, high schools, and clubs from nearly all American states and various countries. The 2006 field included rowers from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...

, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, to name a few. The age of athletes spans from 14 to 85 years old with experience levels from novice to Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

. In 2007, approximately 10% of the field was international.

The course

The course is 3.2 miles long and stretches from the start at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...

's DeWolfe Boathouse near the Charles River Basin to the finish just after the Eliot Bridge and before Northeastern University's Henderson Boathouse. The course is renowned for being challenging for crews to navigate without incident or penalty. The course contains 6 bridges in total, which appear in this order from the start: Boston University
Boston University Bridge
The Boston University Bridge , and commonly referred to as the BU Bridge, is a steel truss bridge with a suspended deck carrying Route 2 over the Charles River, connecting Boston to Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials route...

/Railroad Bridge
Grand Junction Railroad
The Grand Junction Railroad is an 8.55-mile long railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts area, connecting the railroads heading west and north from Boston...

, River Street Bridge
River Street Bridge
The River Street Bridge is a bridge connecting River Street in Cambridge, MA to Cambridge Street in Allston, Boston, MA. It was built in 1925 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Metropolitan District Commission....

, Western Avenue Bridge
Western Avenue Bridge
The Western Avenue Bridge is a bridge carrying Western Avenue over the Charles River between Cambridge, MA and Allston, Boston, MA. It was built in 1924 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Metropolitan District Commission....

, John W. Weeks Footbridge
John W. Weeks Bridge
The John W. Weeks Bridge, usually called the Weeks Footbridge , is a pedestrian bridge over the Charles River connecting Cambridge, Massachusetts with the Allston section of Boston.John W. Weeks was a longtime U.S...

, Anderson Memorial Bridge
Anderson Memorial Bridge
Anderson Memorial Bridge connects Allston, a neighborhood of Boston, and Cambridge. The bridge stands on the site of the Great Bridge built in 1662, the first structure to span the Charles River...

, and Eliot Bridge
Eliot Bridge
The Eliot Bridge is a bridge over the Charles River between Cambridge, Massachusetts and Allston, Boston, Massachusetts. It connects Soldiers Field Road in Allston with Gerry's Landing Road, Memorial Drive, Greenough Boulevard, and the Fresh Pond Parkway in Cambridge.The bridge was built in 1950...

. The Weeks and Eliot Bridges fall at sharp turns in the course, and collisions occur here more than any other part of the course.

Additional features

  • Reunion Village, a cluster of protected tents where various alumni associations and clubs hold gatherings. Also, the only place where alcohol is legally served at the race.
  • Multiple food and clothing vendors.
  • Free giveaways along the river from sponsors including trips abroad, clothing, and samples.
  • Special exhibition races of elite athletes, in some years.
  • Elliot Bridge Enclosure
  • Rowing and Fitness Expo
  • Open House at Boathouses

History

The Head of the Charles Regatta was first organized in 1965 by Cambridge Boat Club members D'Arcy MacMahon, Howard McIntyre, and Jack Vincent. Harvard University sculling instructor Ernest Arlett proposed the idea for the race. The Regatta expanded to a two-day event in 1997. In 1991, Frederick V. Schoch was appointed Executive Director of the Regatta, and he continues to oversee the event.

Charity program

Since 1998, the Head of the Charles Regatta's Charity Program has generated over $650,000 for its official charities, which include Access Sport America, Cambridge Community Foundation, and Community Rowing. The Charity Program allows competitors to gain an automatic entry into the regatta in exchange for raising $1250 per person, per entry. Any single, double, four, or eight is eligible to enter.

Awards

First place medals are awarded to winning competitors in each event category of the race. The first place medals are struck bronze medallions that are 2.5 inches in diameter. They show a single sculler from above on the front, and are engraved with the year and event on the back. Only the first place medals are distributed at the Regatta on Saturday and Sunday evenings following the races. Medals for second and third place medallions are of the same design, but are 1.75 inches in diameter. The Regatta also issues additional medals according to the number of entries in the race. For instance, in a race with 50 competitors, 5 medals are issued.

Special medals are issued to the most competitive Youth scullers, the fastest High School crews in the Youth Fours and Eights events, and the fastest collegiate crews in the Championship Fours and Eights events.

Course records

Club Singles
Men: Nat Keohane 18:17.14 (1997)
Women: Josee Paquette 20:36.59 (1997)

Club Fours
Men: Charles River Rowing Association 16:33.88 (2002)
Women: Saugatuck Rowing Association 18:42.95 (1997)

Club Eights
Men: Onota Lake Rowing Association (Williams College Men) 14:56.49 (1997)
Women: Univ. of Tennessee 16:49.911 (2005)

Youth Doubles
Men: Course Record: R. Steinhardt/ M. Barakso 16:58.864 (2010)
Women: E. Sharis/ B. Baustian 18:59:357 (2010)

Youth Fours
Men: U.S. Naval Academy 16:23.9 (1994)
Women: Community Rowing 17:19.960 (2001)

Youth Eights
Men: Marin Rowing Association 14:50.246 (2010)
Women: Community Rowing, Inc. 16:49.056 (2010)

Master Singles
Men: Robert Spousta 18:16.9 (1984)
Women: Cynthia Matthes 19:55.24 (1997)

Master Doubles
Men: M. Smith/ D. Gorriaran 17:13.68 (2003)
Women: T. Zarzeczny-Bell/ S. Remmler 19:00.316 (2007)

Master Fours
Men: Belfast Rowing Club 17:03.38 (1997)
Women: Portland Boat Club 18:54.35 (1995)

Master Eights
Men: Leander Boat Club, Canada 15:16.13 (2001)
Women: Long Beach RA 17:14.17 (2001)

Grand Master Singles
Men: Lawrence Klecatsky 18:54.3 (1992)
Women: Judy Geer 21:30.930 (2007)

Senior Master Singles
Men: Gregory Benning 18:19.758 (2007)
Women: Margarita Jekabsons 20:18.04 (2003)

Senior-Master Doubles
Men: R. Haberl/ R. Slocum 18:06.910 (2007)
Women: J. Linse/ S. Kinne 19:53.749 (2007)

Senior-Master Fours
Men: Toronto Sculling Club 17:25.52 (2003)
Women: Watercat Rowing Club 19:48.392 (2007)

Senior-Master Eights
Team Attager 15:43.490 (2007)
Women: 1980 Rowing Club 18:00.427 (2007)

Veteran Singles
Men: C. Collins 19:24.329 (adjusted) (2001)
Women: Brook Stevens 23:25.66 (adjusted) (2007)

Senior Veteran Singles
Men: R. Kendall 20:31.75 (adjusted) (2001)
Women: L. Rindlaub (70 +) 25:34.773 (adjusted) (2007)

Collegiate Fours
Men: Michigan Rowing Association 17:10.678 (2007)
Women: Marquette University 19:19.167 (2007)

Collegiate Eights
Men: Trinity College 14:58.705 (2007)
Women: Queen's University, Canada 16:47.321 (2003)

Lightweight Singles
Men: Paul Fuchs 17:24.8 (1984)
Women: Teresa Zarzeczny 19:00.58 (1992)

Lightweight Fours
Men: New York Athletic Club 15:49.63 (2003)
Women: Undine Barge Club 17:54.864 (2010)

Lightweight Eights
Men: Princeton University 14:09.921 (2010)
Women: University of Wisconsin 16:06.102 (2010)

Championship Singles
Men: John Biglow 17:29.8 (1982)
Women: Virginia Gilder 18:45.6 (1982)

Championship Doubles
Men: Boston Rowing Center 16:01.2 (1992)
Women: A. De Zwager/J. Rumball 17:51.46 (2003)

Championship Fours
Men: Princeton Training Center 15:34.4 (1997)
Women: London Training Center 17:27.35 (2003)

Championship Eights
Men: USRowing 13:58.99 (1997)
Women: USRowing 15:26.572 (2007)

Alumni Eights
Men: Northeastern University Alumni 15:13.543 (2009)
Women: Course Record: Friends of Brown Women's Crew 17:15.01 (2011)

Directors' Challenge Quads
Men's Division: G-Man Systems (32) 14:56.193 (2010)
Women's Division: Mygatt/Styver/Gay/Matia 17:16.370 (2006)
Mixed Division: Next Year 15:40.161 (2010)

Directors' Challenge Doubles
Parent/Child Division: C. Hamlin, A. Hamlin 17:51.10 (2008)
Mixed Division: G. DeAngelis, K. Collins 17:10.20 (2008)

External links

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