Near-perfect conditions greeted 2,200 crews as Saint Andrew Rowing Club won the women’s U19 eights and Belen Jesuit won the men’s U19 eights event on the first day of the 2024 Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tenn.
“We really wanted to win, so we went out there and won it,” said Saint Andrew four seat Lucy Master.
“I think we came out really strong and performed really well. We haven’t done this well at Head of the Hooch since before Covid,” said Corbin Vassil, six seat of Cincinnati Juniors’ men’s U19 eight, who like their women’s U19 eight, finished second. “It’s really fun to race teams from all over the country. We were 1.6 seconds off of Belen Jesuit and they’re a pretty solid team.”
The majority of crews racing are youth rowers at the Hooch, where the average age of a competitor is 23. Almost as many youth doubles—101 women’s and 97 men’s—as eights and fours (with 107-boat field maximums) race here, with waitlists dozens deep.
“I got to double race today,” said Virginia Tech’s enthusiastic Jack Brett. “Everyone was super energized, first race went OK, I was in the men’s four, and then got to row in the men’s eight and got fifth, which is super cool.”
Founded in 1982 on the Chattahoochee River in Roswell, Georgia by members of the Atlanta Rowing Club, the Head of the Hooch moved to the Lake Lanier Olympic venue in 1996, and then to Chattanooga in 2005, where the city and its numerous downtown hotels and restaurants have made a very welcoming home for what has become one of the largest regattas in the world. “They’ve been so good to us,” said organizer Ulrich Lemke.
Racing at the Hooch concludes Sunday with an additional 50 events, including mixed, masters, and Para racing.
Full results. Live video stream.
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