This weekend, thousands of rowers from across the country will gather for the 43rd Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tennessee. One of the most exciting races of the regatta will come in the women’s youth eight category, which boasts an impressive 77 entries, including some of the top teams in the country.
Saint Andrew’s Rowing Club
Having won the Head of the Hooch for the past two years, Saint Andrew’s will undoubtedly be looking to lock down the three-peat. They’re returning six rowers from their varsity eight, including U19 Selection Camp invitee Angela Johnson, which does already seem to be paying off. They kicked off this season with a bang, finishing fourth at Head of the Charles in an impressive showing that’s sure to fill them with confidence coming into this weekend.
Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club
Last year’s runner-ups, Cincinnati Juniors, will be looking to return to the podium. A programme that has shown upward momentum recently, they finished 11th in the varsity eight and fourth in the U17 eight at the Youth National Rowing Championships this past year–the best of any team coming to Hooch. That being said, Cincinnati finds its speed later in the spring and has graduated half of its varsity eight from last year. While they’ll certainly be pushing up spots come June, I think they may be on the back foot for the time being.
Chicago Rowing Foundation
A perennial contender, Chicago will be coming into this weekend with their eyes set on gold. They’re returning a number of their varsity rowers, including the majority of their sixth-place second varsity eight, and their sixth-place U17 eight. They’ve already proven their speed, having posted a dominant 40-second win over New Trier and Milwaukee earlier this month, who went on to place sixth and 11th at Head of the Charles, respectively. They’ll be looking to overturn St. Andrew’s and claim their first Head of the Hooch win since 2021.
Milwaukee Rowing Club
Yet another team on an upward trend, Milwaukee will be pushing for the podium. Following their loss at the Milwaukee River Chase, they made multiple lineup adjustments, which saw them move up eight places from last year to 11th at the Head of the Charles. With momentum on their side, they have a real shot at locking down a medal.
Atlanta Junior Rowing
Less than two seconds off of Milwaukee at Head of the Charles, Atlanta will be eager to reverse the margin and walk away with a medal in Tennessee. While the majority of their varsity eight from last year have graduated, they return several rowers from their fifth-place second varsity eight who have already proven their ability to step up to the mantle. I’d be on the lookout for an impressive showing.
Prediction
It’s going to be a nail-biter in Chattanooga, with many teams meeting each other head-on for the first time this year. Saint Andrew’s and Chicago will be battling it out for first, but I’ll give Chicago the edge based on early-season performances. That leaves the final podium spot for Milwaukee and Atlanta to fight over. With such a small margin at Head of the Charles, it’ll be down to execution to lock down the bronze. Cincinnati is the clearest challenger, but will likely have to settle for fifth in such a competitive field.
