Four thousand rowers will churn the Charles River Sunday in the 29th Head of the Charles Regatta. The day-long event starts at 8 a.m. and doesn't finish until the last entry in the championship eights crosses the line, over eight hours later.

In between, there are seven one-and two-person sculling competitions and nine four-and eight-person crew events.

Established in 1965, the regatta has expanded to include international competition on the club, collegiate, and national levels. All entrants race on a three-mile course, beginning at the Boston University Bridge and finishing past Herter Park in Cambridge.

With 250,000 people expected for the event, recommended spectator spots are the Lars Anderson Bridge, Weeks Footbridge and the Eliot Bridge.

What is To Be Seen

8:00 A.M.--CLUB SINGLES: Also known as the Hawes Cup races. Club events are restricted to entrants who have not moved past the quarter finals in any large regatta over the past year. In the single sculls, the men will try to break the record of 18:39.6 and take home the Louis Hawes Cup. The women's time to beat is 20:49 as they pursue Peggy Hawes Cup.

8:30 A.M.--CLUB FOURS: The men will be looking to lower Dartmouth College's record time of 17:19.3, set in 1971, while the women try to better a 19:59 mark.

9:10 A.M.--CLUB EIGHTS: Temple University holds the men's record in 15:14 while the University of Minnesota holds the women's record with a mark of 17:26.4

9:45 A.M.--VETERAN SINGLES: Entrants must at least 60 years old. The men are chasing the Oldrich Trophy, with the Wade Award going to the top senior veteran, The women are after the Witte Award. The men's record is 20:45, and the best women's mark is 25:59.4

10:20 A.M.--YOUTH FOURS: The race is restricted to teams with members 20 years and younger. The time to beat for the men is 16:26.6 while the women's best is 19:32.6

10:45 A.M.-- GRANDMASTER SINGLES: Restricted to scullers 50 years and older, the men are competing for the Mowatt Trophy as they try to better a time of 19:38.5. The women's mark is 24:02.5.

11:25 A.M.--YOUTH EIGHTS: Restricted to 20 years and younger, the men are trying to break the record of 14:58.58, set by Harvard in 1992. The women are after Yale's mark of 17:32.4.

11:55 A.M.--SENIOR MASTER SINGLES: Scullers must be 40 years or older. The men pursue a time of 18:34.3 while the women race to better 22:05.1.

12:30 P.M.--LIGHWEIGHT FOURS: The men must carry a coxswain of at least. 100 pounds with an average team weight no greater than 160 pounds. The women must also carry a coxswain and have a maximum average weight of 130 pounds. The men race for the Coleman Cup with a time to beat of 16:27.4. The women compete for the Cambridge Cup trying to better the record time of 18:49.4.

12:55 P.M.--MASTERS SINGLES: Scullers must be at least 30 years old. The men's mark is 18:16.9 while the women's is 20:36.1

1:30 P.M.--LIGHTWEIGHT EIGHTS: The men's shells are chasing a time of 14:45.1 in their quest for the Boston Herald Trophy. The women are pursuing the Boston Trophy, looking to break the record of 16:42.4.

1:55 P.M.--LIGHTWEIGHT SINGLES: The men are looking to break a 17:24.8 mark and take home the Arlett Trophy. The women are competing for the Singer Trophy, trying to finish the course in uner 19:30.7.

2:20 P.M.--CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES: Championship events are open to all competitors and attract entrants from past and present college, national and Olympic teams. The men's sculls are looking to win the Cromwell Trophy and better a time of 16:24.5, set by Harvard in 1984. The women are competing for the Swayze Trophy as they look to post a time under 18:19.9.

2:55 P.M.--THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOURS: The men's shells are aiming for the 15:39.9 record as they row for the Circle of Sports Cup. The women race for the Barnes Trophy as they try to break a mark of 17:50.

3:30 P.M.--THE CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES: The men's sculls contend for the Curtis Trophy while the women compete for the Cambridge Boat Club Trophy. The men's mark is 17:29.8 while the women's best is 18:45.6.

4:00 P.M.--THE CHAMPIONSHIP EIGHTS: The last and most prestigious event. The men will be trying to match last year's course-record time of 14:07.6 as they race for the Boston Globe Trophy. The women row for the Governor's Trophy, looking to beat a time of 16:02.9.