Come Sunday morning, the women’s youth coxed quads will be thundering down the course at Head of The Charles Regatta. A fall season staple, HOCR will see over fifty of the top global sculling programs battle it out in Boston. Due to the challenging course, the junior quads are coxed events at the Charles. The steering and tactics of coxswains will be crucial to a competitive run down the track.
Redwood Scullers
Redwood Scullers is one of the hallmark crews representing American sculling. Based in Redwood City, California, this program has sent numerous athletes to the U19 World Championships through the US junior national team. Notable results include three consecutive top-three finishes at the Charles (2021-2023) and a 2022 appearance in the finals of the Diamond Jubilee at Henley Royal Regatta. In 2024, the Scullers will look to stay in the top three positions and fight for a potential victory.
Notre Dame Rowing Club
Located in St. Catherines, Ontario, this program has had past success at the Charles. Notre Dame placed seventh in 2022 and won the event in 2023. Despite being a smaller team, Notre Dame also achieved a victory in the women’s under-19 quad at Royal Canadian Henley this past August. With skilled athletes and coaching staff, Notre Dame Rowing Club will attempt to continue their sculling dominance at Head of The Charles this year.
Los Gatos Rowing Club
Another program from the West Coast, Los Gatos will look to rival Redwood Sculler’s success at this year’s edition of Head of The Charles. This past summer, Los Gatos came second to the Scullers in a fierce A-final of the women’s quad at the 2024 USRowing Youth National Championships. Separated only by a margin of three seconds, Los Gatos will look to reverse that result on Sunday. Past results at the Charles include a pair of fifth-place finishes and the program is in strong shape for a potential upset.
Nereid Boat Club
Founded in 1868, Nereid Boat Club is regarded as one of the oldest rowing clubs in the United States. The highly successful junior program has accolades in both sweep and sculling events. Concerning sculling, the Nereid women won the Head of The Charles quad in 2022 and placed fourth in 2023. Additionally, they won the B-Final event of the women’s quad at the 2024 USRowing Youth National Championships. Nereid will start in bow number three and chase Redwood Scullers and Notre Dame down the three-mile course.
Prediction
Perhaps one of the most consistent programs, I predict a Redwood Scullers victory in this event. Then, I believe the second and third places will be between Notre Dame and Nereid Boat Club. Consistently finishing on the podium, I see Los Gatos finishing fourth at Head of The Charles in 2024.
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