Blue up against clock in weekend regatta

By Naweed Sikora

Daily Sports Writer

This weekend the Michigan rowing team will travel to Boston to compete in the 36th annual Head of the Charles Regatta. The Head of the Charles - the world's largest two-day rowing event - will feature more than 5,400 athletes from around the world competing in 20 different events. In the past 34 years, the competition has grown considerably in popularity, attracting 300,000 spectators last year alone.

Michigan will enter an eight-person boat and a four-person boat in the event, which is the Wolverines' third meet of the fall campaign. Coach Mark Rothstein said this competition will help the team prepare for the spring season.

"This event does not affect rankings," Rothstein said. "We are using this event to prepare for the spring. Almost all of the top collegiate teams will be there."

The 3-mile course begins at the Boston University Boathouse and ends at Herter Park on Soldier's Field Road. The teams - released 15 seconds apart from one another at the start - are timed as they travel down the river. The boats are not required to race against one another.

"It's always different when you're racing against time than when you're racing against a boat," Ford said. "Still, it forces you to give everything you have. The boats are released 15 seconds apart, and we have to work to stay ahead of the boat behind us."

The lineups for Michigan's teams have been set for the Head of the Charles. But, establishing a regular lineup is not a major concern for Rothstein right now.

"At this point in the season, I am not focused on selecting a regular lineup," Rothstein said. "We are concentrating on developing the team as a whole so we can be competitive in the spring season. That is what is important right now."

The competition begins early Saturday morning, but Michigan's teams will compete on Sunday afternoon. Even though it is early in the season, the coaching staff still has certain expectations for the Wolverines this weekend.

"It is difficult to know right now where other schools are in terms of preparation," Ford said. "I just want our team to go in and have the best performance they can at this point in the season."