Head of the Charles

Post # 115

Boston, Massachusetts - The best weekend of the whole year is almost here. Head of the Charles is a three-mile race on the Charles River in Boston and it's a weekend filled with reunions and racing. Nearly the entire rowing world in the US convenes there and this year it also has rowers from over twenty countries. More than 100 London Olympians will be competing (myself included) which means it'll be a fantastic weekend to watch live or from afar. This is the live webcast and here are the results.

Below is my own "who to watch" preview. All times are eastern, so subtract 3 hrs for the west coast equivalent.

Saturday:
4:14 pm Men's Championship Singles - bow #1 is Mahe Drysdale, a New Zealander who is the reigning Olympic champion and five-time World Champion in the men's heavyweight single. Talk about some credentials!
4:23 pm Women's Championship Singles - bow #1 is Gevvie Stone, a good friend of mine and a fellow Bostonian. She won this event last year and was the USA's women's single in London. Bow #2 is Mirka Knapkova from the Czech Republic, 2011 World Champion and 2012 Olympic champion in the single. Bow #3 is Kim Crow from Australia, who won two medals in London.

Sunday:
11:55 am Men's Youth Doubles - bow #32 are the boys I coach, representing Oakland Youth Rowing. Cheer for the teal, blue, and yellow blades!
12:12 pm Women's Youth Doubles - Bow #17 is also Oakland Youth Rowing. So excited for these two doubles.
12:44 pm Women's Lightweight Singles - Bow #1 is me! I'll be representing the Wisco Alumni with red blades.
2:55 pm Men's Championship 8s - Tons of fantastic entries in this event. The Champ 8 at the Charles is pretty much the only time that colleges get to race national teams. Bow #2 has five US Olympians in it and bow #3 are the reigning National Champions from the University of Washington. Bow #4 is the "great 8," eight of the world's premier single scullers, all from different countries, who have come together in a superstar 8.
3:08 pm Women's Championship 8s - There's a ton of talent in the women's version of this event too. Bow #5 is the USA gold medal Olympic 8. Bow #6 is the Canadian silver medal Olympic 8. Bow #8 is the women's "great 8," including plenty of London medallists. Bow #9 is a New Zealand/Great Britain mix of some of the best small boat rowers in the world.
4:45 pm Women's Lightweight 8s - Bow #1 are the Wisconsin Lightweights, my college team. Go Badgers.

Good luck to everyone racing!