
The 53rd Head of the Charles Regatta proved to be one of the warmest and driest in recent history, which led to people looking for their shorts and sunglasses, and to a reported 300,000 spectators lining the banks.
Highlights
Racing kicked off at 7:45AM on Saturday, October 21st - boating out of the SHARK Zone, Tom Bishop of the Quintin Boat Club was the first athlete on course, and by the end of the race had built up an over 40 second lead to win the Men’s Senior Veteran’s Single.

The Men’s Great 8+ signalled a changing of the guard at the top end in the sculling world, with Olympic Silver Medallist Damir Martin, and Olympic Bronze Medallist coxswain Peter Wiersum being the only carryovers from 2016. Racing a USP U8.42 the competition promised to be stiff with University of California Berkeley and Rowing Canada (also racing a USP U8.42) looking strong. The Great 8+ managed to smash the previous course record, but were bested by 2.7 seconds in the end by an outstanding performance by Cal.

The Women’s Great 8+ were returning 4 scullers and their coxswain from their winning 2016 boat, but a late illness saw 2016 Olympic Silver Medallist Gevvie Stone step back into the boat on race day, and a shuffle of the seating order. The transition appeared seamless as the Women won, beating the US and Canadian Training Center entries, and setting the course record by close to 30 seconds in a USP U8.21.

In addition to the Great 8+’s, four of the world’s top Lightweight Men from the Skibbereen Rowing Club in Ireland joined HUDSON and Concept2 in the SHARK Zone. Brothers, and Rio Silver Medallists, Paul and Gary O’Donovan were game to race the newly designed U2.22 USP 2x. They would be racing against 2017 World Championship Lightweight Men’s Pair Champions Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll. The O’Donovan brothers we’re leading the Championship Doubles at the Cambridge Boat Club by more than 4 seconds, but took the last corner wide to finish second by the smallest of margins; one tenth of a second.

In the Collegiate races, the Cavaliers from UVA raced their USP U8.42 to a win and set a course record in the Men’s 8+’s. The Women from Bates echoed that performance with a win, and setting a new high water mark by over 20 seconds.
Results
Men's Senior Veteran Singles I and II [70+]
Qunitin - Tom Bishop (1)
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Men's Senior Master Eights [50+]
Melbourne Uni. (Grand Masters Champs - 12th overall)
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Men's Senior Master Fours [50+]
Sammamish R.A. (Grand Masters Champs - 7th overall)
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Men's Senior Master Doubles [50+]
Toronto Sculling Club (Grand Master Winner - 7th overall)
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Women's Master Doubles [40+]
AARC/PNRA (1)
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Women's Senior Masters Singles [40+]
Ridley Grad BC – Michelle Prince (1)
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Women's Alumni Eights
Virginia (1) *Course Record
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Women's Club Eights
CRI (Club Champions - 4th Overall)
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Men's Master Fours [40+]
Sammamish R. A. (1) *Course Record
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Women's Master Eights [40+]
Toronto Sculling Club (1)
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Men's Championship Doubles
RCA (Lightweight Champions - 3rd overall)
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Women's Championship Doubles
RCA (Lightweight Champions - 2nd overall)
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Mixed Legs/Trunk/Arms Fours
CRI (1)
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Mixed Inclusion 4+
CRI (1 and 2)
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Mixed Inclusion 2x
Austria (1) *Course Record
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Womens Youth Coxed Quad
Don RC (1) *Course Record
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Men's Youth Doubles
GMS Rowing (1) *Course Record
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Men's Youth Fours
South Niagara RC (1) *Course Record
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Men's Championship Fours
University of California Berkeley (College Champs - 2nd overall)
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Men's Championship Eights
University of California Berkeley (1) *Course Record
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Men's Collegiate Eights
University of Virginia (1) *Course Record
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Women's Championship Eights
Sudbury RC (1) *Course Record
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Women's Collegiate Eights
Bates College (1) *Course Record
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