‘A Top-Notch Event’: Rowing Fans Celebrate Six Decades of Head of the Charles Regatta

Hundreds of thousands of spectators descended onto the banks of the Charles River from Friday to Sunday for the 60th edition of the Head of the Charles Regatta, the world’s largest three-day regatta event.

The race drew more than 850 rowing clubs from across the United States and around the world, including teams from South Africa, Romania, and Norway. The course took rowers on a three-mile upstream course from Boston University to Harvard — passing Newell and Weld Boathouses, the only time Harvard’s rowing teams will row past their own boathouses in competition this season.

More than 11,000 athletes competed in 74 event categories, including parent-child doubles, veteran eights, and alumni fours. The races took place just days after the Massachusetts Department of Public Health lifted a cyanobacteria bloom advisory on Thursday, clearing the entirety of the regatta’s race course several weeks after a warning had been extended to include part of the course.

The event featured free giveaways from Dunkin’ and other sponsors, including Vineyard Vines, Delta, Meet Boston, and Heineken, which many participants said was a highlight of the event.

“I thought it was really cool how they had the different stations set up,” Jacob Cece, a Tufts University student who attended the event last year, said. “They had some free giveaways. We got the hat, we had some coffee, and we got to see some of the racers.”

“I think it’s better than last year,” Cece added. “The weather’s better.”

HOCR brings together seasoned rowing fans and new visitors alike. Twenty-five-year Boston resident and 12-time HOCR attendee John McMahon said he brought his visiting sister to HOCR, as “this would be as New England of an event as we could show her.”

This year is the first time he has personal ties to the race, he said, with family friends competing for various college teams.

“Seeing colleges and universities from around the world coming here to compete makes it feel really cool,” McMahon said.

Atlanta-resident Brian Schneiderman and his family of “rowing fans” have attended other regattas for the past four years. Schneiderman said he was “very impressed” by the high-level rowing at Head of the Charles.

“You should come see all the different teams, all the different boats, the colors, the pageantry, the pride the city and the organizers put into this event,” Schneiderman said. “This is a top-notch event.”

Jeylani Z. Thiam ’29, who is local to the area and has been to the regatta almost every year, said this was the first time he watched the race up close from Weld Boathouse.

Local Cambridge Rindge and Latin School students Zihaam M. Jama, Eva S. Asraf, and Dafna L. Li said that the event is a great way for local high school CRLS to promote the clubs they run. Their club, Club 4, raised $1,000 during the event to support the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.

“I love seeing our Cambridge community every year,” Li said. “It’s fun to see all the different people coming to Cambridge to support the regatta.”

Longtime spectators and participants Jean Billyou and Arthur Hughes noted that the event has evolved over the past years, gaining business sponsorships and prioritizing inclusivity.

“I used to spectate in the olden days when it was a one-day event with lots of kegs,” Billyou, a three-time master eights competitor, said. “Now it’s three days, and it’s very inclusive, because it has para events, it has mixed gender events, it has women’s masters events, which allowed me to join the sport and join the fun — evolved in a really enjoyable way.”

Hughes said he’s been watching the regatta since he was in high school decades ago.

“It’s nice to have things sort of like they’ve always been,” Hughes said. “It’s a non-political event with people from everywhere across the country.”

Participants seemed to agree that the regatta is not only an avenue for competition but also a platform for the city of Cambridge and surrounding universities to come together in celebration.

“I think it really showcases the diversity in Cambridge, and it brings so many different people together from different parts of the world,” Li said. “It also brings so much Cambridge pride, a lot of Harvard pride, a lot of CRLS pride. So I just think it’s a really fun experience. And there’s a lot of healthy competition and festivities, and it’s a great way to get people to come together.”

For rowing’s biggest supporters or newest enthusiasts, it’s an event for all to watch.

“If you really want to experience New England in the fall, this is the kind of event that I would say you should check out and maybe learn about a sport you don’t know that much about,” McMahon said.