Heading to the Charles
STANFORD, Calif. – The Stanford men’s rowing team will be in Cambridge, Mass. this weekend for its first regatta of the fall season, the 50th Head of the Charles Regatta.
In what has become an annual event for Stanford men’s rowing, the Cardinal will take five student-athletes across country for the 5,000-meter race. Intense competition over the first few weeks of practice helped determine the competitors that will represent Stanford.
“The competition really jumpstarted the year,” said junior coxswain Nathalie Weiss. “It encouraged people to come back in shape and practices were very competitive the first few weeks.”
Earning spots in the four that will be heading to Boston include seniors Scott Roycroft (earth systems) and Kaess Smit (mechanical engineering), sophomore Charlie Walker, freshman Allen Reitz and Weiss.
Roycroft, Smit and Weiss are all competing in the race for the third straight year. The trio helped lead Stanford to a victory in 2012 and third place finish last season. In 2013 they were the top collegiate boat in the race. Walker and Reitz will join them. Reitz won gold in the youth 4+ at the Head of the Charles last fall.
The race is widely known as a coxswain’s race with several turns and bridges to navigate. The experience of three previous Head of the Charles Regattas will work in Weiss’ favor.
“I find it a lot of fun and feel lucky to go,” said Weiss. “It is really exciting to be part of this competition and be able to navigate the course.”
At 5,000 meters, the race is over twice as long as the spring races Stanford competes in. It is also one of the biggest regattas in the world with over 11,000 athletes and 400,000 spectators over the two days of racing.
“The Charles has such high energy,” said Weiss. “It is so exciting for rowing to have lots of fans out. Generally it is just friends and family. It is great having a city surrounding you. It is encouraging for the rowers and encouraging for me.”
Stanford will compete at 1:43 p.m. (ET). The Cardinal is one of 17 boats entered in the event. Joining them will be USRowing featuring Stanford alum David Banks, the University of Washington, Cornell, Wisconsin, Harvard and several other clubs and colleges.