BOSTON, MA - This past weekend, the team loaded up and headed to Boston, Massachusetts for the 52nd Head of the Charles Regatta. This prestigious regatta has been around since 1965 and is by far the largest two-day regatta in the world, where more than 11,000 competitors, and 800 clubs come out to compete. The 3-mile course consists of six bridges, making it vital for coxswains to know the course extremely well in order to execute each unique bridge, and turn as precisely as possible. The team arrived in Boston on Friday afternoon, eager to get on the course and be able to practice one last time before the big race. This year we had four entries competing on the Charles. Although Saturday started off rainy and cold, the regatta went on with our first boat racing in the Men's Club 4+, which was stroked by Brennan Dougherty, followed by Vincent Wirth, Nathan Desutter, Patrick Knapp, and coxed by Katie Fletcher. The men powered through and finished in 39th place, with a time of 19:41.63. Later that night, the entire team and families that were in town headed over to Jacob Wirth for a delicious German dinner.
The conditions for Sunday proved to not be much better with lower temperatures and strong gusts of winds that were up to 40 mph. Nonetheless, the team remained in high spirits in anticipation for the other three events being competed in that day. The first race of the day was the Men's Collegiate 4+, which was stroked by Adam Kobiela, followed by Rick Kaufmann, Stephen Pleasant, Cristian Kuang, and coxed by Ale Tomasino-Perez. The men really came together, pulled their hardest, and their efforts showed finishing in 16th place with a time of 18:48.94. Placing 16th, out of 43 boats entered in the event, landed them in top half, which then secured their spot in the event for next year! Marquette also had a boat competing in the Women's Collegiate 4+ that was stroked by Lauren Daly, followed by Sarah Reis, Kelli Kennedy, Erin Zinkula, and coxed by Andrea Matsudaira. The women passed several crews en route and clocked a time of 22:18.03, before incurring a one-minute penalty and placing 23rd overall. The last race for the day was the Women's Lightweight 4+, which was stroked by Bridget Moffett, followed by Anna Kratzke, Karina Folliard, Molly Merrion, and coxed by Lynn Nguyen. These women faced fierce Ivy League competition, and pushed through every stroke to finish in 9th place with an overall time of 21:45.02. Overall, the Head of the Charles was a success and a once in a lifetime experience that will be engraved in our memories forever.
Looking forward, Marquette will wrap up the fall season on November 5th with the Bald Eagle Collegiate Invite in Indianapolis, Indiana.