Boston, Massachusetts – This weekend the Ephs returned to Boston for the annual celebration of rowing that is the Head of the Charles Regatta. Head of the Charles (HOCR) is known for its tricky turns, congested waters, and fast crews from all over the world. Run as a head race, the regatta implements staggered starts and is raced over a distance of about 4,700 meters. This year's Collegiate 8+ race took place Sunday afternoon, and the Ephs fielded two entries, both strong crews that were good mixes of the classes of '24, '25, '26, and '27.
The conditions on Sunday afternoon were tougher than normal, with blistering gusts and choppy water. The men's 1V started near the front of the pack, sandwiched between Drexel and Holy Cross. The crew had a gritty race, finding speed and sharpening their rowing throughout. The boat finished in 4
th place out of 42 crews, a result good enough for a medal.
It was a strong NESCAC showing at the top of the
results, with Tufts winning in a time of 15:25.43, followed by Division 1 LaSalle (15:30.80), Wesleyan (15:32.3) and Williams (15:32.4).
When asked about the race, 6 seat
Michael LesStrang '26 had this to say: "The conditions today were definitely a test of our composure, but I thought we came together in a meaningful way during the second half of the race. We have lots of room to grow in both speed and intensity and I am excited to see what speed we can find in the coming months."
A new entry in the Collegiate 8 this year, the Williams 2V started towards the back of the pack, but quickly made their way up, passing several crews on their way to a 21
st place in the event, besting many 1V crews and requalifying the entry for next year.
Bow seat
Logan McClennen '24 had this to say about the row: "It was definitely a challenging race with a heavy headwind buffeting against our momentum amidst the chaos of the Charles, but we really came together in a big way as a crew and found the intensity to swing through the wind-- especially during the turns! Our coxswain Carina steered an incredible course and kept us focused. I think we've laid a great foundation with plenty to build on over this next week of practice and racing, and I'm excited to see what new gears we can find as we finish up our fall season. Go Ephs!"
Overall, both boats had very solid showings with room for improvement. The team is now getting ready for a quick turnaround to compete at Head of the Fish in Saratoga Springs, NY next weekend. The squad is looking to build on their HOCR results and finish the season strong.
WMC HOCR Lineups
1V:
Cox - Isabelle Shah '24
8 – Noah Phipps '25
7 – Trevor Eckler '24
6 – Michael LesStrang '26
5 – Will Densmore '26
4 – Dalton Peters '26
3 – Chris Pohlmann '27
2 – Jack Wagner '27
1 – Elias Sienkiewicz '24
2V:
Cox – Carina Sun '26
8 – Myer Liebman '26
7 – Louis Kabelka '24
6 – Nyamekye Akosah '25
5 – Alden Weaver '27
4 – Simon Socolow '26
3 – Asher Rabinowitz '26
2 – Alden Rolfe '27
1 – Logan McClennen '24
