IOWA CITY, IOWA – The University of Iowa rowing program concludes its fall season at the Head of Charles Regatta and Jayhawk Jamboree on Sunday. Iowa will send an 8+ and a 4+ to compete at the Head of the Charles in Cambridge, Massachusetts, while nine more crews travel to Lawrence, Kansas, for the Jayhawk Jamboree.
Iowa races at the 53nd annual Head of the Charles Regatta with one bat competing in the Championship 4+ at 12:30 p.m. (CT) and another racing in the Championship 8+ at 1:22 p.m. The crews will race three miles on the Charles River against national and international competition, including four national team level boats, two from USRowing, one from Rowing Canada and the Great Eight, which is a composite boat of international rowers from various countries.
“The Head of the Charles is going to be extra difficult this year,” said UI head coach Andrew Carter. “There are four national team level boats entered. When we compare ourselves against other colleges, that’s what’s going to be key and how close we can get to some of the superboats will be another good measure.”
The Hawkeyes will race two V8+, three V4+, three N8+, and two N4+ crews at the Jayhawk Jamboree on Sunday. Iowa will compete against crews from Creighton, Central Oklahoma, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Tulsa, and Kansas. The races will take place on the Kansas River from 11 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
“There’s some pretty solid competition at the Jayhawk Jamboree this year,” said Carter. “If we can send our second varsity crew to race against the first varsity eights of those programs, that’s a really good measure. It’s going to be difficult because these aren’t slow teams. These are legit teams. If we can have a win or second place finish in that crowd in the absence of our first eight, we’re in good shape.”
Fans can follow along through live stats on hawkeyesports.com or by following @iowarowing on Twitter, @iowa_rowing on Instragram or @IowaWomensRowing on Facebook.