Next week, new head coach Lou Berl will step in after leaving her position as the head of the Trinity College team, her alma mater. She led the Bantams to both regional and NCAA championship race appearances.

Along with acting as a litmus test for the teams going into the spring season, the Head of the Charles serves as a celebration for all rowers, including those on the Radcliffe squad. An estimated 400,000 spectators came to watch the races.

“The great thing about the Head of the Charles is a big family reunion for all the rowers,” Tracey said. “I got to see some of my friends who row at other schools. My friend described it as a ‘Rower Christmas.’ This is my fifth year rowing here, and still having all those people cheering for you is really exciting.”

Along with rowers from all over, Radcliffe rowing alums come back to support the present boats.

“It is pretty amazing to be part of the race and to have so much support and to have so much support from the Harvard rowing community,” Lenczowiski said. “A lot of our alums come back and cheer us on and it’s a really fun weekend.

—Staff writer Jacob W. Lynch can be reached at jacoblync@gmail.com.