In the final 580-meter sprint, with $7,500 awaiting the winner, Sonya Waddell scored a huge upset defeating both Karsten and Neykova in another close race.

Just minutes later in the men's event, Rob Waddell completed the New Zealand and Waddell sweep with a relatively comfortable win over Mueller.

"It's great for Harvard students to be able to walk out of their dorms, over to the boathouse, and compete with the best in the world," Manning said. "It's a real treat for them."

Of course, the Head of the Charles was not just about boats. With 300,000-plus spectators from all over the world lining the Charles, the event grounds were ripe with food vendors, corporate tents and state-school rivalries being played out thousands of miles away.

Main sponsors like Lucent Technologies put up hospitality tents and flew small airplanes with banners that advertised the company. Lycos.com, an Internet portal company, thrilled fans with a plane that spelled out "LYCOS" in smoke letters.

Fans also got to gorge on some of the fattiest foods the area has to offer. Fried dough was a favorite, but sausages and french fries also wowed the crowd.

"The fried dough is one reason I come out this far," said Patricia Williamson, of Akron, Ohio, while gorging on one of the cardiac arrest-inducing delicacies. "I mean, I'm a fan of the races, but this food is excellent."