You Got This Mom! The nice thing about an all-comers, all-ages regatta is that some of the usual cheering from the bridge is reversed; we heard a few "Keeping going mom, only a few strokes left!" today.

Rrrrrrace Operations on the Job:

The Lights Are On... we may have called the CBC media room 'cave-like' and 'dimly lit' in a Note last year (j/k we definitely did), but we have to report that the lights are very much on this year. When a loyal row2k reader--and the guy in charge of the lights--saw what we'd written, he put a reminder in his phone (a year ago!) to make sure the dimmer switches were turned all the way up this time around...way better, and much appreciated!

School's Out for Coach: when your 87 year old coach is racing the Charles, you get off from school to go a cheer for him. Here, the Cambridge Rindge & Latin rowers are yelling loudly for Coach Bill Becklean, who was himself one half of the oldest couple to race at this year's Charles on Friday.

Like Riding a Bike? US LW2x sculler Michelle Sechser will be dusting off some, ahem, old tricks when the US National Team scullers row the Champ 8 on Sunday after racing for this year's cash prize in the singles. Sechser has not rowed sweep since she graduated college in 2008 and on her way out to the practice row was heard to say, "half the oars, twice as easy, right?" We're sure it'll come right back to her.

Good Camo! Those Army guys sure know how to camo up to hide their trailer:

Overheard on the Bank: "Yeah, I read Boys in the Boat. There was too much rowing in it."

Speaking of Boys in the Boat: In addition to the on-site exhibit about the upcoming film, the Washington B entry in the Champ Eight is what Coach Michael Callahan called a Tribute Crew. They will race in a Wintech wrapped in a veneer to look like it is wooden, and we got a few photos of them out rowing in the shell on Thursday. The members of that crew also signed an NIL deal to help promote the movie and they are all athletes "home grown" in Washington or California, in the tradition of the boys of 1936.

Line of the Day: "I don't know why there are so many people here--it's not like it's the Head of the Schuylkill or anything."

Covering All Bases: BU head coach Tom Bohrer was racing in a NED uni over a CAN uni.

Watch How you Say It: These guys look fun, just don't say nigh-ack.

Right Gear for Saturday? If the weather forecast holds up, by midday Saturday, this kid's kit might be right on point.

And, if it does rain as hard as they say it will on Saturday, we all know who to blame: that one rowing coach out of the thousands here who forgot pack the rain gear.