Three rowers from Hopkinton, Sabine St Pierre, Ilana Casady, and Jenn Develin, participated in the 59th Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR), the world’s largest rowing event of its kind, in Cambridge and Boston last weekend. All three raced for the Quinsigamond Rowing Club.

The event brought together 11,000+ competitors and thousands of spectators from around the globe. The three-day event, which began on Friday, October 18, 2024, featured 2,600 boats representing high schools, colleges, and clubs from 26 nations, competing along the picturesque Charles River.

Sabine St Pierre, 47, participated in the Women’s Senior Masters Four 50+ event. They completed the course in an amazing 19:40.429 which earned them third place (out of 35 teams)! For those wondering, the event name means, 4 senior masters (over 50) women in a boat where their combined ages must average at least 50 years, and none except coxswain can be under 30 years old.

Women’s Senior Masters Four 50+ Goal for This Years Head of the Charles

According to St Pierre, “The main goal of our crew heading into the race Saturday was to place in the top half of our event (Women’s Senior Masters Four 50+) to guarantee us an entry for next year.” In order to accomplish that, the strategy was to hold off all the crews behind them and to pass a boat or two.

During the first mile, they maintained a steady 9th place. The excitement began as they started closing in on the boats ahead. “Our coxswain is a BEAST; she navigates the course like a champ, shaving valuable seconds off our time,” exclaimed St. Pierre.

The coxswain rode the buoy line as they continued to build speed. As they approached each competing boat and began to overtake them, the coxswain directed the other crew to yield, allowing St. Pierre’s boat to maintain their line.

St. Pierre beamed, “It is absolutely exhilarating to pass a boat!” Once they passed the first boat, “I could feel the adrenaline and excitement pulsing through [our] boat which motivated us to catch the next boat, and the next, and the next!”

Sabine St Pierre: Crossing the finish line — it was pure exhaustion and pure elation!

The Moment

According to St. Pierre, “We were all standing together when we learned that we had placed third. It was surreal! It literally brought tears of joy, it was so unexpected! I keep replaying that moment in my head, it was a truly special moment.”

Her excitement at recalling the memory is palpable. The team, having only rowed together three times prior to that Saturday, and having it all come together the way that it did, made all those months of training at 5:15 AM, rain or shine, worth it. “I always tell people — of all the sports I have done in my life, crew is the ultimate team sport.”

Family

“As exciting as it was to win bronze, to have my family there to witness the emotions, and see how truly special it is to be part of a team, made the day all that more amazing,” beamed Sabine.

The Quinsigamond Rowing Club’s boats have both gained entry for next year’s race because they both placed in the top half of their respective events.

But Wait, There’s More!

Sabine wasn’t the only rower from Hopkinton at the HOCR last Saturday. Also from Hopkinton and the Quinsigamond Rowing Club, was Ilana Casady. We knew she was an amazing runner and triathlete, but who knew she rowed for UMass Amherst, a D1 program, where they placed 4th in the country? (BTW, Sabine competed for UConn, another D1 school.)

Ilana competed in the Women’s Senior Masters Four 60+ on Saturday. They finished in the top half of the field in their event, earning them an entry into next year’s race.

This dynamic Duo want to go for the gold in the same boat next year. HopNews won’t bet against them!

Ilana Casady, “It has been so fun to row with Sabine. She is a beast and I love her! I look forward to our 4:52am drives to the boathouse.”

“The Quinsigamond Rowing Club Masters Women are a great group of strong and fearless women,” according to Casady. “It has been so amazing to return to the sport I love so much,” declared Casady.

Lastly, Jenn Devlin of Hopkinton competed in the 2x Women’s Masters 30+ 40+ division. Jenn rowed for Ithica College, a D-III school. She is the current Vice President of the Quinsigamond Rowing Club Board of Directors. Jenn is a former member of the Hopkinton School Committee and currently teaches at Trottier Middle School in Southborough.

Congrats to all three amazing Hopkinton women!

Who Can Compete?

Head Of The Charles Regatta Rules and Guidelines for Sweep-oared (Fours/Eights) Boats:

Entry applications shall be accepted only from institutions holding “institutional membership” in their nation’s FISA-recognized governing body and/or “institutional membership” in the Head Of The Charles Regatta (by having opted to pay the Regatta’s annual Institutional Membership Fee) and that have properly registered their entry validation signature and racing colors with the Regatta by the submission of a current year’s Institutional Registration Card and payment of the Regatta’s annual Institutional Registration Fee. Registrants must be at least 21 years of age or older to submit an Institutional Registration Card.

Only one Institutional Registration Card will be accepted from each school, college or university rowing organization with the following exception: two Institutional Registration Cards, one for men and one for women, will be accepted from a single institution (school, college or university) in cases where men’s and women’s programs have been historically separate, or where men’s and women’s programs are organized separately.

About the Race

The regatta was three miles in length and started near Boston University, with boats going under six bridges (from John W. Weeks Memorial to Anderson Memorial) on the Charles River separating BU from Harvard’s campus across the river.

Family, friends and fans lined the banks of the Charles River to cheer their rowers onto victory. The event was viewable from several perspectives: the Western Avenue Bridge, Weeks Footbridge, and also the Weld Exhibition Area at Riverbend Park (in Cambridge) was a popular destination for food and beverage sampling at the Regatta In addition, the emergence of the Finish Area Launch Site (FALS) Bar, located near the finish line, featured different tents selling beer, wine, and canned cocktails.

The event showcased top international rowing-racing with a flavor that invigorated Harvard yard and much of its surroundings while drawing thousands of spectators from all over the world. Yale and Tufts proved that depth can trump greatness when they beat all four of the Harvard teams.