Head of the Charles 2024
Over the October half term, 17 girls and three coaches took a trip across the Atlantic Ocean to race in Boston, Massachusetts at the famous Head of the Charles Regatta.
The event is a five-kilometre race notorious for its tricky steering. This was the first time the Boat Club had competed in this event since 2018 and the 2024 team was eager to return and show what they could do!
After a seven-hour flight and a long rest, on Friday the girls drove down to the Charles River for their first practice row. The river was quite chaotic as all the crews from across the country and around the world were all trying to get on the water, so the team had to manage themselves efficiently.
On the first day of races, the girls took the opportunity to explore the Cambridge area, tour the Harvard boathouse and watch some of the racing. In the evening, the team travelled further into the city centre via the Freedom Trail and enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant by the harbour.
Sunday was HSOBC race day! Funnily enough, the girls had the advantage of a five-hour jetlag for their early start.
The first race of the day was the Youth Single Sculls. Sophie (Year 13), after racing at the World Championships this summer, took up the challenge of the single scull and starting 30th out of 43, she impressively placed 11th.
Next was the Youth Coxed Quads. The crew, featuring two J16s, put out an exceptional performance. They started 48th out of 54, overtaking four crews, and ended up taking the bronze medal.
Next up were Ria and Darcey (Year 12) in the Youth Double Scull who, after some great racing and steering, placed 39th out of 54.
Finally, the Youth Women’s Eight were out on the water. With bow number 81 out of 90, the 8+ faced some steering challenges getting around other crews. Their main rival was RowAmerica Rye, the crew they faced earlier this year at Henley Royal in the final.
They narrowly avoided other crews thanks to some excellent coxing and made it to the finish line in sixth place, an outstanding result considering their start number!
Mr Ryan Demaine, Head Coach, said: “What a great weekend of racing! The girls definitely enjoyed the experience and getting to soak in all the energy and excitement of the event.
“It was a tough lead-up to the event with limited water time due to the flooding. Despite this, the team put out exceptional performances across the board. This will definitely help next year’s squad for starting bow numbers.
“A special thank you must go out to the coaches and parents for their support and for helping make this incredible trip possible!”
