of Great Britain Imogen Grantwho won gold in the lightweight doubles will also be in the running along with the US Olympic champion Kara Kohler, Teal CohenAnd Grace Joyce from American Quad and former Head Victor Maggie Fellows.

For men it is Ireland Philip DoyleBronze medalist in doubles, has bow No. 1. He will compete against a compatriot Paul O’DonovanGames champion in lightweight doubles, Jonas Juel from the Norwegian Quad, Javier García Ordonets from the Spanish pair and US world champions Finn Putnam.

Croatian brothers Valentine And Martin Sinkovicwhose third gold medal was won in this year’s pair, are big favorites in the men’s doubles, which they won a decade ago. They will take on compatriots Patrick And Anton LoncaricAmerican rower (and Northeast graduate) Jacob Plihal and partners Alexander Hedgeand Italy Matteo Sartori And Luca Chiumento.

In the women’s field there is a quartet of medal-winning British women – Rebecca Wilde And Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne from the bronze medal double and Lola Anderson And Hannah Scott from the gold medal quad. They face the defending champions Sophia Luwis And Audrey BoersenIreland Likes creams And Aoife Caseyand Canada Jenny Casson And Jill Moffat.

Once again, the men’s and women’s singles championships feature cash: $10,000 for first, $5,000 for second and $2,500 for third.

“We haven’t sent out any further announcements (this year), but some top athletes have asked us if there is still prize money available,” the race director said Brendan Mulvey. “We were hoping it would attract athletes like Emma, ​​Kara and Imogen.”

The weather forecast for the weekend is about as ideal as mid-October. Saturday will be 70 degrees and sunny, Sunday will be 74 degrees and mostly sunny, with a slight headwind both days.

Crimson and rowers

Saturday morning’s men’s alumni race, pitting defending champion Harvard against former two-time champion Washington, could serve as an Olympic event.

The Crimson, rowing as Ex Nemo, boasts four Paris medalists Liam Corrigan, Peter Quinton, Clark DeanAnd David Ambler. The Huskies have five from three countries – Evan Olson, Gert Jan van Doorn, Jacob Dawson, Chris CarlsonAnd Simon van Dorp.

Since they enter the race first and second in the 47-boat field, they are within shouts (or shouts) of one another.

Collins is a winner at any age

For the first time the regatta has a category for the 90+ group and the first winner on Friday was a familiar face. ChrisCollinsa 92-year-old Virginian and seven-time winner in the Veterans and Grand Veterans competitions, prevailed by a minute Don Tanhauser while I give away two years.

“It’s a testament to how important this event is to everyone,” Mulvey said, “and something that can be an unforgettable experience.”

Leigh RooneyBelieved to be the first double lung transplant recipient to compete in the regatta, she made it the distance in the women’s senior veteran individual.

“Five years ago I was on oxygen 24/7 and quickly deteriorated,” said Rooney, 76, who found a donor in 2020 and started rowing again last year.

Almost six decades after he piloted the Union Boat Club’s four juniors in the second Head race, Matt Czajkowski made his sculling debut at age 75 in the men’s senior veteran singles.

“The good news is, if you’re slow, it’s OK,” Czajkowski said.

Czajkowski, who started out as a whaleboat coxswain at Boston Latin in the 1960s, took the coxswain position at Harvard after a stint in the Navy. He now lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, started sculling just six months ago and trains at University Lake.

“I definitely don’t have the weight of a helmsman anymore,” he said.

New event in the mix

The pairs event, which resumed as an exhibition last year after a four-decade absence, was replaced on Saturday afternoon by a competition for cancer survivors in the eight rowing event. The field includes 11 entries, including We Can Row Boston and boats from France and Italy… Fred Schoch may have retired after 33 years as the regatta’s executive director, but he retains his place in the motley but immortal team of Team Attager in the men’s veteran eights on Saturday morning… The names of the entries in the mixed-gender Director’s Eight Challenges on Sunday tend to be more leprechaun. These include: Tortured Rowers Department, Black & Crimson Death Barge, Riverside Masters Treachery, Mixed Nuts, Flock of Dux (from Duxbury) and Octogenarian 8.

John Powers can be reached at [email protected].