Head of the Charles 2026

This weekend marks the 61st annual Head of the Charles Regatta, bringing thousands of rowers and spectators to the banks of the Charles River. Below, The Crimson previews Harvard’s crews, profiles the athletes and coaches behind the competition, and explores the traditions that make the regatta a fixture of the fall.

The Brothers of the Boats: Mason and Owen Cruz-Abrams

By Kaylyn H. Kim and Tiffany Oh  • 

The Bark of the Charles

By Tamar H. Scheinfeld  • 

The Blades, Boathouses, and Beasts of the Charles

By Anat Goldstein and Micah A. John  • 

Kathryn Serra’s Gold Medal Gamble

By Tamar H. Scheinfeld  • 

Stomach of the Charles: A Guide to the Food Booths

By Samuel A. Freeman  • 

Joe Baker: Model, Influencer, and Harvard Heavyweight Rower

By Alexa M. Schmitt  • 

Nat Toms Steers Her Way Into the Record Books at Harvard, Home, and Abroad

By Uy B. Pham  • 

Four of the Forty-Two: Previewing Harvard’s Four Teams on the Charles

By Leo P. Petropoulos  • 

Caitlyn Kukulowicz Trades In Her Skates For Oars

By Maxwell P. Friedman and Samuel S. Rudavsky  • 

From the Charles to the Thames: Harvard Alums Take on the Boat Race

By Matilda C. Genieser  • 

‘It’s Like Rower Christmas’: Generations of Harvard and Radcliffe Rowers Reunite in Alumni Boats for the Head of the Charles

By Avani I. Shah-Lipman  • 

Sweat, Pride, and Shirts: Inside Harvard Rowing’s Betting Tradition

By Kai I. Russell  • 

Harvard Men’s Heavyweight Crew Head Coach Charley Butt Begins Year 42 on the Charles

By Bennett Trubey  •