The banks of the Charles River buzzed with energy as rowers and spectators from across the country gathered for the Head of the Charles Regatta, the world’s largest three-day rowing competition.
The Head of the Charles Regatta is a Boston tradition that unites rowers from around the world. This year’s competition, hosted from Oct. 18-20, drew a crowd of 400,000 spectators, 12,000 competitors and 2,400 volunteers.
Susan Schmidt, a rower representing DeWolfe Rowing Club in the Women’s Senior Master Eights race, graduated from the Boston University College of Arts and Sciences in 1991 and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1992.
This is the fifth year Schmidt and her BU friends have pulled a boat together.
“We just come from all across the country and meet up and see our friends and have an absolute great time,” Schmidt said. “We all raced at the Charles when we were kids, when we were in college … It’s the perfect time to come out and come back to school.”
Schmidt said the atmosphere of the regatta is “motivating” and “different than any other head race you might experience,” because there are so many places to view the event.
“It’s a great advantage to be a home team,” she said. “Everybody recognizes your blades, even if you don’t know them. They’ll give you a shout-out because they recognize you.”
While some rowers were local, hailing from BU’s own DeWolfe Boathouse, the event attracted competitors from as far away as Arizona, Washington and California.
Kelly Hermes traveled to Boston to cheer on her son, a rower for the University of California Davis, in the regatta. She said it is “exciting” to see rowers from varying backgrounds come together and be united by their shared love for rowing.
“I think it just brings people from so many different places to one hobby,” Hermes said.
For Boston and the rowing community, the Head of the Charles remains an enduring tradition that brings competition, passion and motivation to the community.
“It’s just the coolest race I’ve been to,” Erin Jewell, a rower for Rio Salado Rowing Club and Endeavor Racing Alliance, said. “Awesome energy, great friends, great competition, beautiful weather. So it’s definitely the highlight of my racing season.”
Jewell was recruited her junior year of college to row at San Diego State University, and she picked up the sport again three years ago. At this year’s regatta, she competed in the Para Inclusion Doubles, a race for athletes with physical or intellectual impairments.
“It’s a huge part of my life … and just what gets me up in the morning and makes me have a great day,” she said.
Jewell said the regatta was a great showcase of the community’s spirit and energy.
“Hopefully Boston’s happy that it’s here, and I think it’s a great representation of the people of this town,” Jewell said.