March 31, 2024 - Cambridge, MA - In an effort to 'level the playing field,' crews in all Youth Events at the 2024 Head Of The Charles will be required to have their hulls (riggers and seats included) weighed.
Weigh-ins will take place adjacent to the Registration Tent on Friday at 1:30pm, according to Regatta race director Bob Van Buren.
Van Buren stated the reasons for this are to 'even up the races for all.' Feedback from coaches was mixed, with one coach asking by email 'Why did we spend $36,000 on a very light eight only to add sandbags to bring it to the 200lb. regatta minimum?' (The eight in question was rumored to have weighed 163 lbs.) Other coaches, however, noted that they were pleased to see this initiative as a sign of enforcing fairness.
"Finally we will let the athletes be measured for their strengths and skills and leave the programs with deep pockets to get their rowers into better shape," she said.