UVA Opens Fall Season at the Head of the Charles
| 52nd Head of the Charles | |
| Date/Time | Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 22-23, 2016 |
| Location | Boston, Mass. | Charles River |
| Multimedia/Game Info | Head of the Charles Website | Live Webcast |
| Additional Information | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
Oct. 21, 2016
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia rowing team opens its fall season at the world’s largest regatta, the Head of the Charles, in Boston on Sunday (Oct. 23).
The 52nd edition of the Head of the Charles will feature 2,260 crews and 10,600 athletes representing 28 countries in 62 events. The HOCR drew more than 400,000 spectators over two days last year.
The Cavaliers will have two boats competing in the Championship Eights race, which is scheduled to begin at 2:36 p.m. Virginia finished second among collegiate boats in the Championships Eights at last year’s HOCR after finishing as the top collegiate boat in the event for four consecutive years from 2011-14.
The Head of the Charles course is 5,000 meters along the Charles River, featuring seven bridges, multiple turns and passing in a head-race format. In head races, each crew starts single file about 10-15 seconds apart and the results are based on time. All three of the Cavaliers’ fall regattas follow this format, which differs from the spring season, where boats line up side-by-side and race down a straight 2,000-meter course.
On Saturday, nine Cavalier alums, including current assistant coach Kristine O’Brien, will comprise a boat that will compete in the Women’s Alumni Eights.
The Cavaliers continue their fall season at the Princeton Chase in Princeton, N.J., on Sunday, Oct. 30.