The Head of the Charles is a pinnacle race course - something to admire and fear for coxswains and rowers the world over.

An annual event, the course is unparallelled in intensity, snaking through 7 bridges and around 300,000 spectators - it holds the title as the largest two day rowing event in the world.

Feeling nervous yet?  Take a breath.  

 Helping you prepare to race

We've collected material from experienced coxswains to help you navigate the course.  If you're new to the HOCR or if it isn't your home course, these tips can prepare you for the challenge.  Remember the best route is your own, these are just to get you started. 

Below you'll find three written steering guides - all from experienced coxswains, one aerial photograph and two coxing audios on the Head of the Charles including:  

• Mali Mathis' photographic guide on the water [BU and Gentle Giants cox & coach]
• Yasmin Farooq's article on preparation [USA Olympic cox 1996]
• The official Head of the Charles race guide, Geoffrey S. Knauth [Volunteer Organizer HOCR]
• Audios of Seth Bauer [USA Olympic cox 1988] and Pete Cipollone coxing the HOCR [USA Olympic cox 2001]
• Aerial photo and GPS path from Jim Dwyer - the actual GPS route he took on the course visually mapped [Western RC, Ontario]

Have a route to add? ·Email us and support your fellow coxswains.·

1. Meli Mathis is a coxswain and coach in Boston, MA.  She coxed at Cornell for the heavy men as well as the Potomac Masters men in DC.  Meli currently coaches the Boston University masters program.  She's also the head coach for Somerville HS as part of Gentle Giants Rowing Club and works exclusively with coxswains on steering, how to handle various wind types and how to read water to plan a good line.  She's written an excellent pictoral guide to wrangling the Charles, just for Coxmate.  Her PDF includes·over a dozen photos of key points on the river with red lines showing you exactly how to manoeuver your boat and where to point your bows.  Read How to Steer the Head of the Charles by Meli Mathis

2. Excellent link to Preparing to Cox the Head of the Charles by Yasmin Farooq.  She wrote this article for US Rowing and it was reprinted in coxswain nation. Yasmin gives great advice on preparation for the HOCR - what to do in the days leading up to the event, as well as a section on race day.

3. The official Head of the Charles Regatta race guide - A handy outline of the course for both coxed and coxless boats.

4. Audios of world champion coxswains Seth Bauer and Peter Cipollone coxing the HOCR in 1997.  This also comes with a typed version for your reference.  The key is to know why they're saying what they're saying - emphasizing your calls with 'chaa' isn't enough.

5. This is an aerial photo from Jim Dwyer, of the Western Rowing Club in Ontario, Canada.  The line in red is his actual route through the HOCR mapped by GPS - oh the wonders of technology.  The loops at the start and finish are his warm up/cool down.