With 36 entries entered into the Women’s Collegiate Eights event, Head of the Charles 2025 promises some fast and competitive racing. Returning champions, Tufts University, will be looking to take home the gold again. But close behind them, Wesleyan University and Williams College will also want to close the margin and fight for first place.
Tufts University
Having opened their 2025-26 season at the Head of the Kevin on Charles River and earning the second-fastest time overall, Tufts University are eager and ready for the Head of the Charles regatta. As two-time defending collegiate eights champions, Tufts is definitely the crew to beat as their experience and caliber rowing on the Charles River regularly throughout the fall will give them the edge they need to dominate the 3 mile course.
Wesleyan University
For the Wesleyan crew, Head of the Charles will also be their second race of the season, as they competed at the Head of the Riverfront along the Connecticut River in Hartford. Placing fourth, they competed against multiple NCAA divisions, coming away with a strong placing and experience ready for the Head of the Charles. It will be exciting to see if this crew will be able to close the margin from last year, having placed only 7 seconds behind Tufts in 2024.
Williams College
Williams College also raced at the Head of the Riverfront and finished second overall and first in Division III. Their performance in this race, having placed ahead of rivals Wesleyan University already this season, will give them the confidence they need going into the Head of the Charles and closing the margins from last year and maybe even be able to come out on top.
Vanderbilt Rowing Club
As the 2024 and 2025 ACRA National Champions, Vanderbilt has a lot of potential going into the Head of the Charles. Having raced a Murray State Scrimmage as well as the Music City Head Race in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt will have great confidence in their racing strategy for the Head of the Charles. Placing fourth in 2024, it will be exciting to see their results, given that this program is getting more competitive each year.
Bates College
As their first race of the 2025-26 season, Bates will be eager to kick the season off with a strong performance. Having come fifth in 2024, Bates has a lot of potential going into the Head of the Charles; however, with the Coast Guard Academy chasing, having been only three seconds behind last year, Bates will be forced to play the offensive and close the margin with Vanderbilt to be able to consider a top-three finish.
Prediction:
There is under a week to go until the 34 crews entered in the Women’s Collegiate Eights event face off at the Charles River, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I predict Tufts University will take the win again, given their experience on the Charles River and the confidence they have going into the race, having won for the past two years. For second and third place finishes, it will be close racing between Wesleyan and Williams College. Bates College as well as Coast Guard, Wellesley College, Trinity, Hamilton and WPI will battle to be in the top five. It will all depend on their training so far and vital summer miles: it is anyone’s game at this time of year, especially for the Head of the Charles, where it is not only about rowing technique but about the cox’s experience steering on the notorious winding Charles River.
