Head of the Charles

Post # 153

This weekend is going to be awesome. It's Head of the Charles in Boston, which means I'll be home for four days soaking up the crisp fall weather, seeing friends from high school, college, and everywhere since, and having some fun racing on the Charles. This event is the largest two-day regatta in the world. So many people from the rowing world come to this race that there's not even enough time to see everyone you want to see.

I'm racing in the openweight event this year (listed as the Championship Single). I've raced the lightweight single for the past four or five years and this year, I signed up for the tougher event. I'm bow #8, racing on Saturday, October 19 at 4:41 pm. Here are the first five bow numbers in my event:

1. Gevvie Stone, raced in the single at the London Olympics. She's also a fellow Boston native, and trains on the Charles. She knows this tough course better than anyone.
2. Ursula Grobler, my teammate in the 2010 Worlds silver medal winning quad, now rows for South Africa
3. Emma Twigg, New Zealand's top single sculler for many years, won a silver medal in Korea in this event
4. Kate Bertko, my doubles partner!
5. Mirka Knapkova, 2011 World Champion and 2012 Olympic champion in this event

So, uh, that's who I get to chase down. Wish me luck and if you're there, come cheer! The Artemis girls are racing in the youth 8+ event (bow #58), along with 84 other crews at 1:22 pm on Sunday.

Here's where to find the live video and results.