Possible rain may put a damper on the weekend's festivities, but as many as 200,000 visitors are still expected to arrive for the 27th annual Head of the Charles regatta.

More than just a race, the Head of the Charles is a sweaty, beery rite of passage, eagerly anticipated by some Harvard students and dreaded by others.

Though he is looking forward to the weekend's events, Keith F. Neruda '94 is not happy with the extra security precautions enforced.

"I don't like the prison that Kirkland House becomes," said Neruda.

Kim A. Flynn '95 said, "It'll be kind of a bummer, but it's worth it if it will keep my room of being damaged."

Security precautions this year will be the same as those in the past, said Lieutenant of Special Operations for Harvard Security Lawrence J. Murphy.

Measures

Extra security measures include identificationchecks at the Yard and the Houses, a no-keg rule,and additional police on campus, Murphy said.

Murphy, who plans to spend the weekendcirculating through the crowds to make sure thatno problems arise, said that security has beeneffective in the past and that he anticipates noproblems.

"We're used to it," said Murphy.

While Jen L. Wisner '93 used to think that Headof the Charles was fun, by now she is "sick ofit."

"It's a big pain in the ass," Wisner said.

Nora E. Connell '94 also plans to stay in thisweekend.

"The security and crowds don't do anything forme. It's a good excuse to do work," Connell said.

But for many first-year students, the eventoffers excitement.

Novice rower Ali Zarrinpar '96 said "I thinkits going to be great. We're all going to gettogether, do the wave, and scream and shout.Nothing will put a damper on this one."

Races begin at 8:15 a.m. today and continuethrough the afternoon. More than 4000 rowers areexpected to compete