Head of the Charles 2007

Boston Massachusetts, 20-21 October

By:  Marty Meyer, Jill Clifton, and Mike Lee

Prince William Rowing Club Rowers

"The most exciting sporting event I have ever participated in!" says Steve Groll, a Lt. Col. in the USAF and first-year rower, talking about the Head of the Charles regatta.  The Head of the Charles is the world’s largest two-day head season regatta.  The Head of the Charles, conducted over a 3-mile span of the Charles River in downtown Boston, included four boats from Prince William Rowing Club (“Prince William”), one of which, the Men’s Club entry, is pictured here during their race. 

The Head of the Charles, is renowned world-wide as the most prestigious and toughest ‘head race’ in competitive rowing.  (In a “head race,” boats run the course in single file for timed results.)  The race course is narrow and passes beneath 7 small bridges and includes multiple tight turns.  Boats start single-file with approximately 15 seconds spacing; collisions and accidents sometimes happen, especially near or under the bridges.  Last year in the Head of the Charles collegiate race, the Men’s 8 boat from Peking University, China, collided with another boat, began to take on water, and sank in the course at the Eliot Street bridge.  This year the Yale University Men’s 8 lost its stroke (lead rower) into the water after a mishap.  Three years ago, the U.S. Men’s National Team actually hit the Eliot Street bridge during their race and lost the Championship event for the first time in a decade. 

This year’s Head of the Charles included 55 races, 1,736 boats, over 8,200 rowers, 1,200 volunteers, and 300,000 spectators.  Competitors came from 39 states and 17 countries (including numerous teams from Europe, Asia, and South America), with the U.S. National Team and U.K. National Team racing in several events.  During this year’s competition, 15 new course records were set over the 2-day race schedule. 

Prince William competed against an international field, former Olympians, and top universities (the 1980 U.S. Olympic Teams raced in the Men’s Senior Master 8 and Women’s Senior Master 8 categories, and so did Prince William).  Prince William President Mike Lee says, “just being granted an entry is prestigious.  The first year Prince William sent a boat to the Head of the Charles was 2003 (Women’s Master 8), and for years Prince William could get only one entry each year.  To get four entries this year was indeed noteworthy.” 

The PWRC Women’s Senior Master 8 gained automatic entry to the 2008 Head of the Charles by placing in the top half of their category.  Race results for Prince William’s four entries were:

Men’s Senior Master 8 (50+ average age):  26^th of 45 entries (18 min 18.64 sec)

Women’s Senior Master 8 (50+ average age):  7^th of 24 entries (19 min 11.09 sec)

Men’s Club 8:  63^rd of 72 entries (18 min 19.90 sec)

Women’s Club 8:  39^th of 51 entries (19 min 36.73 sec)

Top overall finisher at the Head of the Charles was the U.S. Men’s National Team; completing the 3-mile course in 14 min 3 sec. 

Mailing Address:
Prince William Rowing Club
Parcel Plus Box 164
12427 Hedges Run Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22192