HEAD OF THE CHARLES REGATTA

2012-02-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

101 days after the end of racing Mr. Brendan Mulvey retrieves the final parking sign.

2012-01-31T10:22:00.000-05:00

Rowing on the Charles the last day in January, incredible.

2012-01-30T18:32:00.001-05:00

Another shot of Fred's dog Trudy from last week.

2012-01-27T14:14:00.000-05:00

Feels like Spring. Taken on Thursday.

2012-01-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Umpire Committee meeting last night at the Cambridge Boat Club.

2012-01-25T17:52:00.001-05:00

Same shot 3 days in a row. The ice has disappeared in Boston.

2012-01-24T08:00:00.001-05:00

Monday vs. Tuesday.

2012-01-23T12:29:00.002-05:00

Monday morning rumble in the HOCR office. Buckley vs. Trudy.

2012-01-20T17:45:00.002-05:00

Ed Hewitt of Row2k last night after his speech and award acceptance at the Power 10 dinner in New York

The audience.

2012-01-19T04:00:00.000-05:00

Not from the archives. Yesterday on the Charles a brave sculler braved the icy waters.

2012-01-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

Snow and ice to wind & sun. The wacky winter continues.

2012-01-17T09:48:00.002-05:00

January 17th, 2012. The first sightings of snow in Boston.

2012-01-16T14:46:00.000-05:00

Dipping into the archives from 2011, Gentle Giant built a plywood ramp to wheel an 800 lb crate into the main Expo tent for Noble Hardware.

2012-01-13T12:27:00.002-05:00

Just a tad bit windy here on Friday the 13th.

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, day 3 of Buckley. Keeping himself warm from the rain/wind yesterday.

2012-01-12T11:19:00.002-05:00

Buckley had a visitor yesterday in the form of a young puppy named Wally. Thanks to Jess Romain for bringing the little guy by.

Synchronized sleep time.

2012-01-11T10:35:00.002-05:00

Busted! Mr. Buckley thought no one would notice if he snuck into Fred's office and ran off with his socks.

2012-01-10T11:00:00.001-05:00

Another shot from the archives found by Kate. Here's a shot from the 1984 Official Program from Jack Rummel.

2012-01-09T20:42:00.002-05:00

First Race Committee meeting of the new year in the books.

2012-01-08T04:00:00.000-05:00

Breaking ice.

2012-01-07T04:00:00.000-05:00

Launching with a bit of ice. 287 days.

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

Kate's been digging through the archives doing research on the Regatta's history, check out the 1979 entry application.

2012-01-05T04:00:00.001-05:00

The ice is beginning to make itself known to the Charles. 289 days.

2012-01-04T13:52:00.000-05:00

And we're back...while on vacation it seems the wind took issue with one of the three remaining street banners on Eliot Bridge. 290 days.

2012-01-03T04:00:00.000-05:00

The finish line cameras & inside the trailer from 2008 from Dennis Hickey.

291 days.

2012-01-02T04:00:00.000-05:00

This photo should be a bit familiar from 2011...http://www.hocr.org/shop/ppb.asp ...credits to both to Carlos Ridruejo

2012-01-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

Photographer awaits. Photo by Carlos Castro, 2011.

2011-12-31T04:00:00.000-05:00

2010 Men's Championship 8+, Harvard University. Photo by Carlos Castro. 294 days.

2011-12-30T04:00:00.000-05:00

The final turn from the Belmont Hill dock. By Tom Martin 2006. 295 days.

2011-12-29T04:00:00.000-05:00

Inside the media center at the Cambridge Boat Club from 2004. Unknown photo credits. 296 days.

2011-12-28T04:00:00.000-05:00

The start line from 2004 inside the Boston University boathouse. Not sure who took these photos.

297 days.

2011-12-27T04:00:00.000-05:00

Basin starting chute from 2005. Photo by Igor Meijer. 298 days.

2011-12-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

The old launching site at Magazine Beach circa 2003. Photos by Amy Wilton.

299 days.

2011-12-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

2002 event poster by Carlos Ridrejo www.caridossa.com 300 days!

2011-12-24T04:00:00.001-05:00

2002 Championship Singles Men's Champion, Duncan Free. Millman, 2002. 301 days.

2011-12-23T04:00:00.001-05:00

Great 8+ rudderless turn. Igor Meijer, 2009. 302 days.

2011-12-22T04:00:00.001-05:00

Alumni 8+ Champions, Northeastern University. Nicole Diehl, 2009. 303 days.

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-05:00

Igor Meijer, 2009.

2011-12-20T04:00:00.000-05:00

Wishing Happy Holidays and rowing to all. A voyage through the archives until the new year. 304 days until the 2012 HOCR.

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

Prepping the holiday cards for mailing. 305 days.

2011-12-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Signs of winter! The ice is coming!

306 days.

2011-12-17T04:00:00.000-05:00

Close up of the Christmas tree riding the dock. 308 days.

2011-12-16T12:50:00.003-05:00

Check out the Christmas tree!

Now that's a big dock heading downstream! 309 days.

2011-12-15T04:00:00.000-05:00

River traffic is starting to get very quiet.

A few 1x's going by during the day Wednesday. 310 days.

2011-12-14T12:19:00.000-05:00

HOCR Holiday party last night at the Cambridge Boat Club.

The HOCR holiday card. (credits to Carlos Ridruejo for this photo). 311 days.

2011-12-12T15:42:00.000-05:00

CRLS boys team gets a bit of erging in on the docks. 313 days.

2011-12-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Radcliffe pair. 314 days.

2011-12-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

Winter prep for the sidewalk. 315 days.

2011-12-09T14:28:00.001-05:00

Mighty brisk and windy out on the river today. 316 days.

2011-12-08T04:00:00.000-05:00

Fred's yellow lab Trudy comes for a visit & Buckley has a bit of trouble fitting on his bed. 317 days.

2011-12-07T04:00:00.000-05:00

Lighting project complete. Happy Holidays from the Head Of The Charles Regatta and the Cambridge Boat Club! 318 days.

2011-12-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

Shouldn't the river be frozen by now? 319 days.

2011-12-05T08:05:00.001-05:00

Monday AM, another day in the 60s, not bad. 320 days.

2011-12-04T04:00:00.000-05:00

Coming to a boathouse near you shortly, the CBC lighting project in the works.

2011-12-03T04:00:00.000-05:00

Buckley is excited for the USRowing convention! The Office is off to Hartford, CT for the day (sans Buckley)

2011-12-02T04:00:00.000-05:00

Last night @ Eliot

2011-12-01T18:55:00.001-05:00

Introducing Mateo Benjamin Ridruejo, the first born of program designer/signage guru Carlos Ridruejo of Caridossa

Mateo meets the office.

2011-11-30T07:38:00.001-05:00

Final day of November & a bit of battle paddle.

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

Not exactly sure what was going on but a gentleman wearing a wetsuit wielding a long pole was hanging out under Eliot on Monday morning.

2011-11-28T16:32:00.001-05:00

November 28th and 60+ degrees in Boston, not a bad deal at all.

2011-11-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

Nice fall afternoon.

2011-11-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

Back to the docks post Foot of the Charles

2011-11-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

The medals are ready for shipping.

Lots of medals.

2011-11-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

The packing process begins.

2011-11-22T10:27:00.001-05:00

Medal city. 2nd - 5th place medals (depending on event size) prep for shipping.

They've taken over the office.

2011-11-21T12:01:00.001-05:00

Sunday AM launch ride with Cambridge Rindge & Latin School.

In front of the CambridgesideGalleria. A few more pics of the entire trip: http://tiny.cc/CRLSNov20

2011-11-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

4+ version of the sun-out.

2011-11-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

Complete sun-out.

2011-11-18T15:43:00.001-05:00

Signs of the impending winter, knit hats.

And more.

2011-11-17T16:19:00.001-05:00

Buckley may start to dominate these posts if he keeps staging shots like these.

2011-11-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

A quick trip over to Gentle Giant in Wilmington today to check on the items being put into storage for the winter. Many vaults of storage.

Boat racks.

2011-11-15T17:46:00.001-05:00

2011-11-14T17:48:00.000-05:00

Instructions on the dock for CRLS

2011-11-13T17:53:00.000-05:00

Fun with photography. Harvard.

2011-11-10T17:56:00.001-05:00

The river this morning before the rains began.

2011-11-09T07:40:00.004-05:00

Northeastern women battle paddle

2011-11-08T17:50:00.001-05:00

Nov. 8 - unreal conditions out on the river!

2011-11-07T14:57:00.002-05:00

Northeastern on the river this AM.

2011-11-06T15:03:00.000-05:00

Buzzed by a bit low to the boat house.

2011-11-05T15:05:00.000-04:00

A clean & happy Hound.

2011-11-04T17:33:00.000-04:00

Buckley needed his post-HOCR bath this afternoon

2011-11-03T18:50:00.002-04:00

Still digging through the weekend photos, one from Friday's practice hours on Oct. 21

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-04:00

Women's Championship 2x, 1st Place Penn AC/Vesper: Goldsack/Daley 18:40.29

2nd place, Union BC: O'Leary/Garnier 18:43.91

3rd place, Pocock RC: Robinson/Hochman 18:45.29

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

Men's Championship 2x, 1st place Craftsbury Sculling Center: Graves/Graves 16:26.86

2nd place, USRowing TC-Oklahoma: Meyer/Campbell 16:42.91

3rd place, Undine: Urevick-Ackelsberg/Quinn 16:57.47

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-04:00

Youth 8+ Women, 1st Place Oakland Strokes 17:12.58

2nd Place, Marin 17:21.01

3rd Place Mount Saint Joseph 17:30.17

2011-10-30T05:00:00.000-04:00

Men's Youth 8+, Marin 15:06.98

2nd Place, Eton 15:23.11

3rd Place, Everett Rowing Association 15:47.51

2011-10-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Women's Championship 1x, 1st Place, Gevvie Stone 19:31.11

2nd place Emma Twigg 19:58.99

3rd place Lindsay Meyer 20:31.38

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-04:00

Men's Championship 1x, 1st Place, Mahe Drysdale 17:57.33

2nd Place, Michael Sivigny 18:25.52

3rd place, Fraser Berkhout 18:30.93

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

Women's Championship 8+, 1st Place University of Virginia 16:11.52

2nd Place, Radcliffe 16:19.63

3rd Place, University of Michigan 16:22.01

2011-10-26T08:48:00.001-04:00

1st place Championship 8+, Harvard University 14:17.68

2nd place Championship 8+, USRowing 14:23.31

3rd place Men's Championship 8+, University of Washington 14:26.18

2011-10-25T19:12:00.001-04:00

A few of the great minds behind the 2011 HOCR, left to right, Annie Hooper, Fred Schoch, Kate Broderick, Elizabeth Diamond, Bea Schoch and Carlos Ridruejo.

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Clean up in full force. Many thanks to Gentle Giant for an incredible job all weekend long!

Harvard Men Give Harry Parker 50th Anniversary Gift

2011-10-23T19:09:00.000-04:00

by Stephanie Wright

HOCR

“They've trained hard,” said Harry Parker, long time head coach of Harvard's men's crew team. They trained hard to earn a winning season. They trained hard to maintain their reputation as an elite crew. They trained hard for him—and they won.

Harvard's won the men's Championship Eight for the first time since 1977, beating the US Rowing Crew by five seconds in a time of 14:17.

The crew said they felt comfortable early in the course.

“The rhythm felt really good,” said Andrew Reed, the number five seat. “I don't think I've ever been in a boat that felt that smooth in a race.”

James O'Connor, who rowed in the bow, agreed that about half way through the race, they knew they were headed toward first place. They hit their stride after the Weeks bridge, he said, then they “pushed and pushed.” His teammates nodded in agreement, noting that this race felt different.

They were also able to get on the inside of the bedeviling Eliot Bridge corner, which has been known to cause disaster for crews in the past.

Back at the Newell Boathouse after the race, everyone donned matching tank tops. They were white, each with one blue letter, and when aligned, spelled out “50 Years.” They wanted to show support for the man they call a legend by representing him in the first Harvard win at the Head Of The Charles in 34 years.

“He's a presence in the boat house,” said O'Connor of Parker, who has been Harvard's coach since 1963.

He is also battling blood cancer, and while that seldom comes up around the boathouse, every rower is aware of it. It makes Parker’s attention to the business of rowing all the more special for the members of his team. He teases the guys and makes sly jokes, said Reed, he's still a hard working coach, and expects the same dedication from each rower.

Ask him about his cancer and he’ll tell you about his team.

“You can't think about that,” he said. “You just coach them as well as you can and hope that they're receptive.” He did acknowledge, however, that he was happy to hear of his the respect his rowers hold for him.

Despite mid-term exams in the weeks preceding the regatta, they spent their regular time on the water. The combination of Harry Parker’s 50^th season and a 34-year gap between wins brought a sense of urgency to this year’s Head Of The Charles preparation.

Every win is sweet. Some are extra special.

Virginia Women Best Radcliffe and Surprising Michigan in Champ Eights

2011-10-23T18:56:00.000-04:00

by Hannah Becker

HOCR

Unlike the men’s Championship Eights, where Harvard rowed to a home-course victory, the Radcliffe women were edged by the University of Virginia, who won the Championship Eights by eight seconds in 16:11.52.

Starting from bow position two, Virginia had its sights set on defending champion Princeton, who had beaten them a year ago, rowing just ahead of them.

Virginia coach Kevin Sauer and his assistant rode the course on their bicycles, “dodging people and cars and looking through the trees,” according to Sauer. Their stopwatches told them they were rowing faster than a year ago, when they finished second, but that didn’t tell them everything.

“We knew we were gaining on Princeton, but we didn’t know what was going on behind us,” he said.

Princeton fell to sixth.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the race came when the University of Michigan, with the 35 bow, finished in 16:22.01 to take third.

Out-of-state crews faired well in this year’s race, while the local teams finished in the second half of the pack. Northeastern University’s varsity team covered the three miles with a time of 17:12.48, good for 20^th place. MIT took 25^th (17:19.89), Boston College 28^th (17:26.62) and Northeastern University’s second team took 35^th with a time of 18:02.52.

Ernestine Bayer Race Bids HOCR Farewell

2011-10-23T17:52:00.003-04:00

Ernestine Bayer racers are accustomed to launching in the dark.

by Samantha Laine

HOCR

The star-flecked sky lightens slowly as men and women shuffle in the dark. The 90 rowers watch their feet, trying not to trip as they prepare 73 shells to launch. Headlamps sweep the shores of Magazine Beach, glinting off the bows and sterns of recreational shells that cover the beach.

The rowers carry their shells to the launching area. They lower the boats into the subdued Charles River, disrupting the faint mist that lingers over the smooth surface. It’s a perfect day for rowing, the rowers tell each other with a faint smile. The rowers get into their shells. They launch. This is the last time they will set out on this pre-sunrise race. After today, the Ernestine Bayer Race on the Charles (EBROC) will no longer be held during the weekend of the Head of the Charles Regatta.

It brings to a close an era that began in 1974. For 37 years, Sunday racing at the Head Of The Charles has been preceded by this race for recreational class shells. It was known for a long time as the Alden race, after the boat company that started it. Since 1999, it has been named in honor of Ernestine Bayer, the first lady of American rowing.

“It’s absolutely sad,” Mary Dowd said. This was Dowd’s first time racing in the EBROC. “I met Ernie 15 years ago. She has been my inspiration. That’s why I’m here. This is for her.”

In previous years Dowd has raced in the HOCR. In 2001 she was a gold medalist in the fours 50+ division. Dowd decided to race in the EBROC when she found out that this year would be her last opportunity to race for Ernestine Bayer.

“The race binds everyone together through her. No other crazy people would be up at this hour,” Dowd said. Rowers arrived to registration at 6 a.m. to launch for a 7 a.m. start.

Ernestine Bayer, the namesake of the EBROC and an inspiration to thousands, first established rowing as a women’s sport in Philadelphia in 1938, when she founded the Philadelphia Girls’ Rowing Club. She was also a major force in developing recreational rowing as a competitive sport.

“She was the feisty wife of an Olympic rower who refused to sit around and not row,” said Blake Doyle, the president of the International Recreational and Open Water Rowing Association (IROW), the group that runs the Ernestine Bayer race.

“When you first saw Ernie, she had this statuesque, elegant countenance,” said Debbie Arenberg, one of the driving forces behind the EBROC. “There was never anything she thought she couldn’t do. She wasn’t aggressive—she just saw the path she needed to pursue and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She was completely captivating.”

Bayer died Sept. 10, 2006, a few years after the EBROC was named in her honor. Behind her she left a legacy of rowers whose love of recreational rowing started with the Alden shell.

“We’ve broadened the base of the sport,” Marjorie Martin Burgard said. She worked closely with her husband, Arthur Martin, the creator of Alden, and Bayer throughout the beginning years of recreational rowing. She said that originally rowers did not like the design of the Alden shell; they said it was too short and too wide to race. She grinned as she said that her husband, who passed away in 1990, has since been inducted into the rower’s Hall of Fame for the Alden design.

Burgard is most proud of her husband and Bayer for their dedication to adaptive racing. From the beginning, the EBROC has allowed handicapped rowers to participate in events.

“Handicapped individuals can row in a recreational boat safely on their own. It’s wonderful to feel independent on the water when you can’t on the shore,” Burgard said. She pointed to a man in a wheelchair. “Here’s a man who can’t do a damn thing on land. But he can row. They’re doing something quite amazing, and we made that possible.”

Bruce and Sarah Gillers

Bruce and Sara Gillers said they have had a lot of fun racing in the EBROC the past few years. Sara suffered a severe brain injury during a rock climbing accident a few years ago, and the doctors told her she would no longer be able to climb. The same day she discovered she could no longer climb, her dad suggested that they take up rowing. Rowing has since become a big part of the Gillers’ lives.

“It’s incredible to have such a race. I feel so lucky to have participated. It became a great way for me to be outside and spend time with my dad,” Sara said.

“It has been fantastic to be able to row with my daughter; I love having the parent-child races. It’s like a family, the IROW family,” Bruce said.

The Ernestine Bayer has been a victim of its own success, in a way. The Head Of The Charles decided to end the race because it had grown too big for the slender window of daylight that was available to it, before the Regatta’s official start at 8 a.m.

“I understand the decision to remove the EBROC from the HOCR weekend,” Burgard said. “I try to look at both sides, even when it hurts. I have great respect for [HOCR Executive Director] Fred Schoch and the committee. The logistics of organizing the HOCR is mind-boggling. I understand.”

While many individuals tried to empathize with the Head of the Charles committee’s decision to remove the EBROC from the weekend, many rowers and IROW leaders struggled to retain composure. The sadness and disappointment of losing their race became real as the last Ernestine Bayer awards ceremony progressed.

Doyle quoted lyrics from Zac Brown during the ceremony, changing the lyrics slightly to reflect the feeling of sadness as the end of the traditional EBROC approached.

“Keep your heart above the Head and your eyes wide open. You know you’re not the only shell out on the river. Save your strength for things that you can change and forgive the ones you can’t. You’ve got to let ‘em go,” Doyle said.

Burgard echoed Doyle’s sentiment in saying, “Change is part of everyday living.”

The EBROC may be over in its traditional sense, but its faithful following believe Bayer’s legacy will continue. IROW may be able to partner with a Charles River club or choose a different weekend in order to continue the race. Arenberg believes that there may still be hopes for hosting the EBROC during HOCR weekend in the future.

“All major regattas are adding recreational divisions to their lineup. We are still hoping to dialogue and believe that there are alternative solutions to keeping our race in the HOCR,” Arenberg said.

The field from today's Ernestine Bayer Race on the Charles

Iowa Girl Looks at Bright Rowing Future

2011-10-23T17:18:00.001-04:00

Elizabeth Sharis (bow) of Y Quad Cities, who finished 4th in Youth Doubles, looks forward to many more rows in the HOCR

by Hannah Becker

HOCR

She’s a Youth National Champion. She’s a Head Of The Charles Youth Doubles Champion. She’s a 15–year-old kid.

Racing for Y Quad Cities, Elizabeth Sharis made the journey from Iowa to Boston for the second consecutive year to defend her Head Of The Charles Women’s Youth Doubles Champion title.

With a new partner this year Sharis finished in fourth place, 50 seconds behind the winning twosome, with a final time of 20:06:51.

“I thought we had a good race overall, I thought our cadence was pretty good,” Sharis said of her Sunday afternoon row.

It wasn’t the excitement of last year’s Head, where Sharis’ first-place boat crossed the finish line just 35 hundredths of a second faster than the runner up crew, but Sharis is steadily building her rowing resume.

Already this season she’s won the Youth Nationals, a feat she is looking to repeat next year, while racing a steady schedule to continue her work towards becoming an elite rower.

Sharis began rowing two years ago when she fell in love with the sport while rehabilitating a knee injury.

“Originally I started erging because I needed to do that for my knee,” she said, “and I really liked erging so I started rowing on the water."

With a National Champion rower for a father and a natural ability for the sport, Sharis is in prime position to make rowing a full time job. But at just 15-years-old, the 5’ 8”, slim brunette has more on her mind than just the cadence of the river.

“We have practice a lot but I still have time to do all my schoolwork and hang out with all my friends,” Sharis said.

Integrating school, friends and competitive rowing into a 15-year-old’s life is a balancing act Sharis has mastered, even when she takes four days out of her week to make the 1,300-mile journey from Iowa to Boston.

Sharis and her team of supporters left for Boston on Thursday in order to give the youth doubles team a chance to get out on the river together prior to the launch of the race.

“The main challenges (of the Head) are basically just getting the right course, figuring out where you need to go and how to set your basic cadence,” Sharis said. “Just getting used to the river.”

Sharis says she enjoys 2000-meter races more than head races. But there is something about the Head Of The Charles that makes the three-mile competition worth it.

“I do really like the head of the Charles because there is so much scenery,” she said. “It’s just really fun to race. “

As for her future in rowing, the teenager has high expectations, which include a possible row in the Olympics.

“That’s like a super long ways away,” Sharis said. “But obviously I am probably going to want to do that.”

The Head Of The Charles: A Good Place to Meet Old Friends

2011-10-23T17:07:00.000-04:00

by Sarah Moomaw

HOCR

In June, four rowers and a coxswain went on an improbable run that was good for a second place finish at Youth Nationals Oak Ridge, Tenn., a first in their program's history.

“It came as a total shock to our whole team,” said Jack Welsh, stroke for the St. Louis Rowing Club Spring 2011 boys’ four team. “We came out of Midwests having placed third in the region. We came out the first day [of Nationals] in the heats, posted the best time and then guys started thinking that maybe we could make a run in the grand final.”

At this weekend’s Head Of The Charles, the graduated members of the St. Louis Rowing Club silver medal team are reuniting along the water for the first time since taking the podium.

“These guys have been really successful,” said St. Louis Rowing Coach Andrew Black. “Three of the five from that team were all graduating and coming out east to row at schools where they were going to get together at the Head of the Charles, so it’s kind of a reunion this weekend.”

Welsh is now rowing for Yale, Jon Young for Harvard. Coxswain Diana Kwon is now the number one coxswain at Fordham University.

Coach Black said a new competitiveness grew between best friends as Welsh and Young, chose Yale and Harvard and began seeing themselves as future rivals.

“There was this rivalry, it was kind of fun to see,” said Black. “They are obviously old rival schools, but in terms of the lightweights they are very competitive.”

The rivalry grew stronger as the two watched from St. Louis as results from the of the collegiate season came in. Harvard’s lightweights beat Yale in the Eastern Spirits before losing to Yale at the IRAs.

“That was the peak of our rivalry at the St. Louis Rowing Club level,” said Young.

“It was totally just playful,” said Welsh. “When it started, neither of us had been on campus for more than just two days.”

The Welsh-Young friendship is likely to withstand a Harvard-Yale rivalry. At home, they attended different high schools and therefore had different classes, friends, teachers and lives off the water. But days rowing six laps of Creve Coeur Lake during practice gave them a bond that is likely to continue as they row for different crews in the years ahead.

“I talk to Jack all the time, but my only reason for contact with Jack is just to demoralize him,” said Young.

“I really like Jon, he’s a close friend. I wish him the best, but I want to beat him so bad,” said Welsh.

But they will watch each other’s races this weekend. And those of their former teammate too.

For Some Fans, the Halfway Point is the Finish Line

2011-10-23T14:08:00.000-04:00

by Brenna Eagan

HOCR

The excitement is infectious at the halfway point of the Head of the Charles Regatta. Part of it comes from the wafting smell of clam chowder and other riverside treats, another part comes from the noise of the vuvuzelas heard from miles away. But the true source of the enthusiasm are the hundreds of loyal fans that line both sides of the Anderson Bridge and flow out of the nearby Weld Boathouse.

The supporters that gather in this area are a mix of parents, friends, and crew enthusiasts, all here to proudly cheer on their rowers. Most are laden with cameras, signs and Regatta programs but they show no signs of fatigue. The clusters of people talk and laugh loudly with each other, their eyes constantly flicking towards the river in anticipation of the start of a loved one's race.

Jon Svenson and his wife are no different. They stand eagerly on the Cambridge-side banks of the Charles, attaching a lens to their camera. Their son is rowing for Harvard in the Club Men's Eights, due to start any moment.

“He raced for four years in high school, and we've been to a lot of races,” said Svenson. “But he's a freshman at Harvard now, so we came up to watch from D.C.” he added proudly.

Also watching the Club Men's Eights are Valerie Huneault and Stéphanie Marchand, who have come from Quebec for the weekend. Today they are supporting their friends, but tomorrow they will be rowing in the Youth Women's Fours.

“It's great to be here for both reasons—to row and to see the other Quebec teams race. It's nice to see each other go,” said Marchand.

This is an attitude shared by many rowers. Elisabeth Malin, a self-professed “crewton,” isn't picking up an oar today, but she and her friends stand on the Anderson Bridge to watch the Club Women's Eights race and cheer for a team made up of Harvard Law School and Harvard School of Public Health students.

“Two of our friends are racing in about 20 minutes, we are really excited to see them,” she said.

Malin motions to Minal Rahimtoola and May Wong, who are quickly filling in block letters with Sharpies on hot pink poster board. They practice holding their sign up over the water, smiling at their supportive handy-work.

Even though most of the people gathered at the halfway point are looking out for somebody, a few Bostonians and tourists have wandered over to get in on the excitement.

“We're actually here [in Boston] for another event, we're from out of town. We just thought we'd come check it out,” said Becky Mercer, a Virginia resident whose interest in crew stems from watching the University of Virginia team practice.

“We figured while we are here, we might as well join. It seemed fun,” she said.

The Regatta Couldn't Happen Without the DCR

2011-10-23T12:53:00.001-04:00

by Andrew MacDougall

HOCR

More than 300,000 spectators will line the banks of the Charles this weekend for 47^th Head Of The Charles Regatta. They’ll be there to watch nearly 9000 rowers, who will be served by more than 1400 volunteers. But the most important people on the riverbanks may well be the nearly 150 employees of the state, working under the auspices of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). This river and its banks are all state ground, and the DCR takes as much pride as anyone in seeing that the Regatta comes off without a hitch.

“The DCR is the steward for the Charles River Reservation, so our main role in the event is to assist in site preparation, security, parking, and traffic management,” said Nick Gove, the north regional director of the DCR. “We’re also the liaison between the Head of the Charles, the state police, and really any of the other entities that are involved in the event; Boston firemen, policemen, people like that.”

The DCR, developed from the former Metropolitan District Commission, has been working with the Regatta since its inception. As the primary environmental organization in the state, Gove and the DCR are responsible for preserving the conservation efforts along the three-mile racecourse.

Preparation starts well before the first race boat touches the water. The DCR starts their site preparation in September, and consists of hundreds of hours of planning and cleaning. DCR employees mow grass, conduct slope cutting of the banks, and clear the river of any obstructions, debris, downed trees, and other dangers for both rowers and fans.

In addition to clearing environmental debris, the DCR helps with traffic management, parking, public safety, security, and sanitation.

“The week of the event, this is pretty much our main focus in the area,” said Gove. “The actual weekend mobilizes 80 staff members each day. In addition to that, we also have assistance from the Department of Corrections, which brings several crews who assist with sanitation and recycling. There is also a minimum of 50 state police troopers on site throughout the entire event.”

In addition to the troopers, about 20 DCR Rangers help the Massachusetts State Police with parking, public safety and security all along the course.

“We have Rangers at all of the restricted parking areas,” said Deputy Chief Adam Parr, who oversees the Rangers. “Sometimes we have to shut the river down in certain sections of the races, so we have a boat with some Rangers on the river, too.”

Several Rangers work during the night to make sure signs, tents and property are not damaged.

One of the biggest issues the DCR faces during their preparation is weather. Heavy rains the Wednesday prior to this year’s race caused the DCR to spend precious man-hours trying to dry the banks of the course for venders and spectators.

“This event, we’ve had years with 80 degrees and sun, and then two years ago it snowed,” said Gove. “Weather plays a huge, huge part, much like it does for the races. [Weather] impacts the conditions and impacts crowd volume. It’s been a beautiful weekend [so far]. The crowd volume seems high, and it seems like it’s been well attended.”

When the Regatta ends Sunday evening, the DCR’s cleanup operation will begin. DCR employees will spend three days cleaning up the banks of the river and breaking down vender and food tents. They will also take nearly 18 tons of trash with them. True to their eco-friendly mission, they will also recycle nearly three and a half tons of garbage.

“We encourage people to respect the parkland,” said Gove. “We want them to throw out their trash and recycle whenever possible. Three years ago, when we first rolled out [our recycling program], we recycled about a half-ton of trash. Last year, we had that total up to three and a half tons. We are an environmental agency, so we would like to see that trend increase, and eventually get to the point where we’re recycling more material than we’re throwing out.“

Gove’s understands what means to the rowing community on a local, national, and international level. He said that the Regatta falls in line with DCR’s environmentally conscious mission, and that the DCR will continue to work with the Regatta to make it an even better event in the future.

“This is my fourth year working with the Regatta, and it’s an unbelievable opportunity to be part of an event like this, particularly when you saw it from the other side,” said Gove. “Getting to come in and actually understand how complicated an operation it is, but also it’s a great thing for the community. It’s a great economic boost for the city and the local area, and it’s just a great event.”