The Head of the Charles Regatta lasted from October 16th to October 18th, and this year Hingham High School Rowing Association was lucky enough to have 2 boats compete: one from the girls’ team and another from the boys’. The Head of the Charles Regatta is the biggest rowing regatta in the world, holding over 12,000 athletes from across the globe to compete in over 70 different rowing races. The event attracts almost 325,000 spectators, and despite being right here in Boston annually, most people are unaware it even occurs.
Hingham’s girls’ team had one eight, while the boys had one four. That means the boat has eight and four athletes rowing, respectively, each with a coxswain guiding them down the 4,800-meter-long race course. For the girls’ time, the athletes who competed were seniors Bianca Kiley, Stella Gutierrez, Megan Buckley, June Rogan, Eliza Powers, Natalie Shaw, and Emme Beaudoin, and junior Ellie White. The boat was stroked by Emme Beaudoin and coxed by senior Ginger Niehoff. The girls raced at 9:05 am on Sunday, October 18th, placing 70th of 83.
Megan Buckley was asked about her experience racing, and she described, “the Head of the Charles Regatta was absolutely unforgettable this year. I’m beyond proud of all my teammates and boat mates who worked so hard to get to this moment. The actual race felt so strong and flew by with all the cheering from the sidelines. I couldn’t be more grateful to take part in it this year, and I will never forget this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on the world’s biggest stage!”
Following a couple hours behind the girls team, the boys’ boat raced at 12:13 pm on Sunday, October 18th, and they placed 73rd out of 85. In the boat were senior Nate Bradl and juniors Ben Ferguson, Landy Vittorini, and Spencer Farish, while sophomore Reagan Puleo coxed.
Stroking the boat was Spencer Farish, and when asked about his race, he said, “the Head of the Charles is such a world-renowned event that even having the opportunity to row in it is such an honor. It exemplifies the best of the sport over three incredible days. We were in the Men’s Youth Four event, which is consistently a highly competitive, fierce competition. We raced the best crews in the country and the world today, and that is a chance most never get. It lets us put our practice to the test and push ourselves like we’ve never been pushed before. The ultimate test of grit, hard work, and mental toughness.”
The Head of the Charles was an experience unlike any other, and for Hingham, getting the opportunity to row in the race was a privilege. Now the athletes are turning their heads to focus on the Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association Championships next weekend, where they look to take back their title of state champions.
