The 24th annual Head of the Charles Regatta is the largest single-day rowing competition in the world and is generally regarded as the premier event of the fall rowing season. The event, which began with a mere 100 boats in an impromptu race, now boasts 3500 competitors in nearly 850 boats and will draw over a quarter of a million spectators.

The course begins at the Boston University boathouse and will continue for three miles upstream, culminating just past the Eliot St. Bridge in Brighton. En route, the boats will pass under six bridges, while crowds of cheering spectators line the river's banks.

The Head of the Charles was the brainchild of three men: Ernie Arlett, Howard MacIntyre Jr. and D'Arcy MacMahon. Arlett, a British rowing luminary, was head rowing coach at Northeastern; his familiarity with the formats and traditions of head racing was invaluable. MacIntyre and MacMahon, members of the Cambridge Boat Club, were instrumental in organizing the regatta.

Today the Cambridge Boat Club retains nine members, including trustee MacMahon, on the Regatta Committee, which runs the competition.

The Head of the Charles is the oldest and most prestigious of the "head" races in the United States; its rules and traditions can be traced back to the "head of the river" regattas in England.

In a "head" race, as opposed to a traditional six-lane regatta, boats race against the clock rather than against each other and the boat with the best time wins.

The components of the Head have changed over the years. This year there are sixteen different events from the Club Singles, which begin the competition at 8:40 a.m., to the Championship Eights, which cap off the competition at 4 p.m.

There have always been events for both sexes as well as different age groups. This year the oldest competitor is Tom Crosby, 87, rowing in the Veteran Singles and the youngest rowers (under 20) will row in the Youth Fours and Youth Eights.

"Mixed" crews competition, consisting of both male and female rowers in the same boat, existed at one time but were recently dropped to make room for more traditional events.

The Head has been a star-studded event with famous boats and competitors returning every year.

The "Rude and Smooth," the undefeated 1974-5 Harvard men's heavyweight boat, is a fixture at the Head. Former Olympian (1984) and Christopher R. "Tiff" Wood '75, known as "The Hammer," will return this year to lead the "Rude and Smooth" boat.

Featured in David Halberstam's book The Amateurs, Tiff is famous for his immensely powerful stroke. The oarsmen of the "Rude and Smooth," who dismantled Yale in record time, were known for their brash and flamboyant personalities and unparalleled rowing prowess.

The "Alte Achter" (German for "Old Eight"), the silver medalling U.S. boat in the 1972 Munich Olympics, will return this year.

Andy Sudduth '83 had a tough time of it in the Seoul Olympics, but he has been invincible in the Championship Singles the last four years and should fare well on the familiar Cambridge waters. Cari Graves, former head coach of Radcliffe Crew and perhaps the greatest oarswoman the U.S. has ever produced, will be rowing in the "1980 Rowing Club." Graves, who won a gold medal in the Eights in Los Angeles, will join several members of the U.S. women's 1980 Olympic rowing team.

A Heady Fast Fact

How far would you go to participate in the Head of the Charles? One team is coming from halfway around the world, all the way from Hong Kong.

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is sending a two man crew to the regatta.

The crew can be seen in action at 2:25 pm on October 23, in the 31st championship doubles race.

Steven Mahre of Hong Kong is sponsoring the team.