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Nearly 12,000 rowers set to compete on the Charles this weekend
The three-day Head of the Charles Regatta begins Friday, bringing nearly 12,000 athletes from more than 30 countries to the Boston-Cambridge riverfront. Featured races include an octogenarian women’s crew, an exhibition for cancer survivors and a Dutch team that set a world record in August.
The Head of the Charles Regatta gets underway Friday, Oct. 16, with nearly 12,000 rowers from clubs, colleges and schools across more than 30 countries expected to compete over three days on the Charles River.
The world’s largest rowing competition is set to proceed despite a forecast of wet, chilly and windy weather. Regatta board vice chair Bracknell Baker said competitors and volunteers are accustomed to outdoor conditions and organizers hope spectators will turn out as well.
Saturday’s schedule includes the return of the “Octogenarian 8,” a women’s masters crew made up of rowers ages 77 to 85. An afternoon exhibition race will feature cancer survivors, a group Baker described as a strong community within the sport.
Sunday’s lineup includes the Dutch national men’s eight, which set a world record in August, and members of New Zealand’s gold medal-winning 2020 Olympic team, alongside leading American university crews. The weekend closes with the parent-child double, a popular event that Baker said sells out earlier than any other race in the event lottery.
The regatta began Friday morning with eight races, with more competition scheduled through Sunday. A section of Memorial Drive in Cambridge will be closed to drivers Saturday and Sunday, affecting access along the riverfront. Spectators should plan their routes and allow extra time to reach viewing areas.