The Head Of The Charles Regatta, also known as HOCR or HOTC, is a rowing race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October each year on the Charles River, which separates Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The race is named the "Head" of the Charles because it is a head race. It is the largest 2-day regatta in the world, with nearly 9,000 athletes rowing in over 1,900 boats in 61 events. It attracts roughly 300,000 spectators during regatta weekend.
The last races of the Regatta are generally the most prestigious: Championship 4s, and Championship 8s (both men and women). Championship sculling events (1x/single and 2x/double) race on Saturday afternoon. The Championship events usually include U.S. National Team athletes.
The competitive field includes individual and team competitors from colleges, high schools, and clubs from nearly all American states and various countries. The 2006 field included rowers from China, South Africa, Croatia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The age of athletes spans from 14 to 85 years old with experience levels from novice to Olympic. In 2007, approximately 10% of the field was international.
Read more about Head Of The Charles Regatta: The Course, Additional Features, History, Charity Program, Awards, Course Records, Gallery
Famous quotes containing the words head of, head and/or charles:
“It is better to be the head of the chicken than the tail of an ox.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Embraces are cominglings from the head even to the feet,
And not a pompous high priest entering by a secret place.”
—William Blake (1757–1827)
“I’m down here all alone, but as happy as a king—at least, as happy as some kings—at any rate, I should think I’m about as happy as King Charles the First when he was in prison.”
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)