Huskies Begin Fall Season At Prestigious Head Of The Charles
October 15, 2015 | Men's Rowing
SEATTLE – The five-time defending IRA National Champion UW men's crew will open its 2015-2016 season this weekend in Cambridge, Mass., at the Head of the Charles Regatta.
“We always look forward to going to this world-class regatta and racing in one of the best atmospheres in all of rowing,” UW head coach Michael Callahan said. “This is a great opportunity for our guys to race against some of the world's elite rowers in front of a great crowd and really get a taste for the competition early in the season.”
The Head of the Charles is the world's largest two-day rowing competition and will hold its 51st race this weekend. Washington will be competing in two events on Sunday, Oct. 18. The Huskies will take part in the Men's Championship Four, starting at 1:57 p.m. ET, in attempt to defend their Collegiate Gold Medal won in 2014. UW will then race in Men's Championship Eight, which starts at 2:17 p.m. ET.
The Huskies are taking a heavy majority of rowers from Washington, with six local products of the nine members of the men's eight and four Washingtonians of the five in the men's four.
Junior Jernej Markovc will attempt to win the “Head” of the river title, as he will compete in the Men's Championship Single on Saturday beginning at 4:24 p.m.
The Huskies will also debut an alumni crew of the first time at the Head of the Charles, set to compete in the Men's Alumni Eights beginning at 12:32 p.m. on Saturday. UW's alumni crew will feature three Olympians – Scott Gault, Guiseppe Lanzone, and Brett Newlin – and a group of experienced, world-class international rowers.
The Huskies can be seen at the Head of the Charles via live stream on the Regatta's official website.
In last year's Head of the Charles, the Huskies took first in the fours and second in the eights in the collegiate division, taking third and fifth overall in their respective events.
“The Head of the Charles was a very successful event for us last year and really helped our development in the fall, and that's the role it will play this year as well,” Callahan said. “This is the beginning of our journey to another successful season.”
UW men's crew will host a complimentary Husky Hospitality Tent in a new location this year, just upstream from the Eliot Bridge Enclosure on the Boston side of the river. The tent will be marked by the white oar blades of Washington and a UW flag. It is not part of the Reunion Village.
One of the world's preeminent rowing competitions, the 2015 Head of the Charles Regatta features a variety of races for U.S. and international rowers of all ages and abilities. The Regatta is expected to attract 11,000 competitors and more than 400,000 spectators.
As has become tradition for the Regatta, the HOCR will also feature a world-class field of competitors, drawing elite athletes from around the world and the United States. Athletes from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand will compete, alongside U.S. competitors from across the country.
The Head of the Charles Regatta is free and open to the public. In addition to exhilarating rowing action on the challenging three-mile course – beginning at Boston University's DeWolfe Boathouse and finishing at Artesani Park in Brighton – the Regatta offers a number of family-friendly activities for all ages, including a rowing and fitness expo; food vendors serving delicacies from all over the world; and Reunion Village – the half-way point between the race offering clubs, schools, alumni groups, parents, boosters and more the opportunity to catch up with friends in a fun and relaxed environment.
UW men's crew will host the Head of Lake on Nov. 8 on the Montlake Cut, the Huskies' only other competition in the fall before beginning the spring season on Sunday, March 26, with the Class Day Regatta.
For more on Washington Rowing, follow the Huskies on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @UWHuskyCrew.
UW Men's Championship Eight
c: Lia Roberds
8: Philip Walczak
7: Guglielmo Carcano
6: Finn Schroeder
5: Viktor Pivac
4: Arne Landboe
3: Matthew Medalia
2: Sam Goertz
1: Oscar Golberg
Men's Championship Four
c: Braeden Daste
4: Eric Benca
3: Sam Pettet
2: Sebastian Devereux
1: Jake Zier
Men's Championship Single
Men's Alumni Eight
c: Greg King
8: Scott Gault
7: Brett Newlin
6: Mathis Jessen
5: Alex Bunkers
4: Ambrose Puttmann
3: Colin Phillips
2: Giuseppe Lanzone
1: Christopher Culbert
