RACE DETAILS ABOUT THE HEAD OF THE HOOCH The Head of the Chattahoochee is a rowing regatta held in Chattanooga, TN every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of November. The regatta is a head race competitors row a 5,000- meter (3.1 mile) course on the Tennessee River ending at Ross s Landing Park in Chattanooga. Head races are typically held in the fall. In this form of racing all boats start sequentially by event and race against the clock. The Head of the Hooch is one of the world s largest rowing regattas, with 2,100+ boats racing over two days. More than 10,000 seats are rowed. Over 1,250 boats compete on Saturday alone, more in one day than any other regatta. Participants come from over 200 different organizations and in 2014 the regatta welcomes crews from 28 states and 3 countries. The regatta has hosted teams from Canada, Germany, Sweden, Mexico and Australia in the past. The Head of the Hooch has been recognized by national magazines as the regatta to attend thanks to the beautiful Chattanooga fall weather, downtown location, and some of the best competition in fall racing. The regatta is organized and hosted by the Atlanta Rowing Club, Roswell, GA and Lookout Rowing Club, Chattanooga, TN. HISTORY OF THE HOOCH The Head of the Hooch, also known as the Head of the Chattahoochee and The Last of the Great Fall Regattas, was organized in 1981 by the Atlanta Rowing Club. The first year there were 500 rowers. For 16 years the regatta took place on the Chattahoochee River in the Roswell River Park located in Roswell GA. In 1997 the regatta had outgrown the park and had to move. From 1997-2004 the regatta was held at the 1996 Olympic rowing venue in Gainesville GA. The course there was located on the upper part of the Chattahoochee River. In 2005, due to the large increases in entries each year, the regatta moved again to the Chattanooga Ross s Landing Riverfront venue. The venue and city have had the capability to accommodate the continuous increase in rowers and spectators each year. Each year since 2005 The Hooch and the City of Chattanooga have welcomed more and more participants and spectators. The Hooch is a unique event. It attracts athletes, family, alumni, local residents and those who travel to attend. It combines a rowing regatta, arts market and the close proximity of the Tennessee Aquarium, the Discovery Museum and Hunter Art Museum all within walking distance of the venue. Many hotels and restaurants are right in the downtown close to the venue. In all, a perfect match. As the Hooch moves through its third decade, its organizers and volunteers continue to improve, grow and enhance the regatta that started as a small event on a Saturday many years ago. Page 1 of 7
THE COMPETITION THE HOOCH IN NUMBERS 2,187 entries in 87 events throughout the weekend 3,052 total entries including the waitlist 12% increase from 2013 1,290 entries on Saturday, 897 entries on Sunday 13 Adaptive Entries 177 Row for the Cure entries Raising $14,675 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure 10,485 Seats Rowed, or ~7,000 participants 206 Clubs from 28 States and 3 countries ROWER DEMOGRAPHICS 50.6% Female Rowers 49.4% Male Rowers Percentage of entries by age: o 49% Youth o 29% College o 15% Masters o 7% Open Average competitor age 23 years old Age of oldest known rowers: o Male - 84, Dick Kendall Ridley Graduate Boat Club Event #2 Men s Master 4x, Event #65 Men s Master 1x Ages 65+ o Female 73, Nancy Crome Indianapolis Rowing Center Event #5 Women s Master 8+, Event #80 Mixed Master 8+ States with the most entries: o Florida 559 o Texas 207 o Tennessee 185 o Ohio 184 o Georgia - 164 THE REGATTA 5,000 meter course length A boat starts every 15 seconds 755 Volunteer positions for the regatta Over 4,000 volunteer hours the week of the regatta 100% volunteer run First year of The Head of the Chattahoochee 1981 First year of The Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga 2005 20,000 Spectators anticipated throughout the weekend Estimated economic impact of the Hooch Over $5 million for the city of Chattanooga Page 2 of 7
THE HOOCH IN CHATTANOOGA It has been an amazing decade of the Hooch in Chattanooga. Since the Head of the Chattahoochee began in 1980, the regatta has grown from a small 100 boat race in Roswell, GA to a 2-day 2,000+ boat race in Chattanooga, TN. The statistics below showcase the growth of The Hooch in Chattanooga. Page 3 of 7
EVENTS AND AWARDS EVENT DEFINITIONS Youth Youth events are limited to scullers, rowers and coxswains currently enrolled in high school and have not attained the age of 19. College & Club College and older rowers who do not have Varsity status (except for novice events) and did not finish in the top six places in any class or event at any of the following Regattas in the calendar year or the preceding year: NCAA Championship, Canadian Henley, EARC, EAWRC, PAC-10, IRA, Dad Vail, any National Team Trial, National Championships, Head of the Charles, or Head of the Schuylkill. Championship Open to any college crew and required to be entered by crew who are restricted from entering the college and club events. Masters Rowers are 21 years old or older. Results have a handicap calculated based on the age of the rowers. Alumni - Alumni are rowing on behalf of and represent their Alma mater. At least ¾ of the rowers must be graduates from the college or university they represent. All crews will be considered masters and the Hooch masters handicap system will apply. Open Open to any rowers except for youth. No handicap applies to results. Novice - Novice events are limited to scullers, rowers and coxswains who have been competing for one year or less as of the first Regatta Day. Experience in sculling events does not count as experience in sweep events and vice versa. TEAM POINTS TROPHIES Team points trophies are awarded to the teams in four categories; College, ACC, Club, and Youth. Points are awarded for a 1 st through 6 th place finish in each event. The 2013 winners were: College Oklahoma City University Rowing Looking to win for the 5 th straight year in 2014! ACC Georgia Tech Crew Club Lincoln Park Boat Club Youth OKC Riversport Full 2013 results can be found on our website at: www.headofthehooch.org/2013-results/ ADAPTIVE EVENTS Adaptive races will be held Saturday afternoon beginning at 2:00 PM. The 2014 adaptive events will take place on a new 2000m course, 500m longer than past years. There are 3 adaptive races this year; Adaptive Men s 2x, Adaptive Women s 2x, and Adaptive Mixed 2x. Page 4 of 7
EVENTS AND AWARDS ROW FOR THE CURE EVENTS The Head of the Hooch is committed to making a difference in the community every year through races that support Row for the Cure. Thanks to pre-hooch fundraising by six teams, Row for the Cure event entry fees, and Hooch merchandise sales, the 2013 Hooch raised over $73,000 bringing the seven-year total to over $530,000. In addition to supporting the Chattanooga and Greater Atlanta affiliates of Komen for the Cure, teams raising money designate their local Komen affiliates as beneficiaries of their fundraising efforts. The Hooch designates five events as Row for the Cure. Entry fees are donated to Row for the Cure and participants receive a pink Row for the Cure t-shirt. Event 5 9:18am - Women s Master 8+ Event 10 10:12am - Men s Master 4+ Event 30 2:55pm - Women s Youth 4+ Event 35 4:35pm - Women s Master 2x Event 37 5:05pm - Women s Championship 4+ SELECT 2013 RACES RESULTS SATURDAY: Event 4 9:10am - Women s College & Club 8+ 1 st Chicago Rowing Foundation 2 nd Murray State University Crew Club 3 rd University of Florida All three clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 27 other entries. Event 7 9:24am - Women s Youth 8+ 1 st OKC Riversport 2 nd Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club 3 rd St. Louis Rowing Club All three clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 61 other entries. Event 15 11:43am - Men s College & Club 8+ 1 st Purdue Crew 2 nd UNC Men s Crew 3 rd Emory University All three clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 29 other entries. Page 5 of 7
EVENTS AND AWARDS Event 18 12:15pm - Men s Championship 8+ 1 st Florida Institute of Technology 2 nd Purdue 3 rd University of Virginia All three clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 15 other entries. Event 19 12:20pm - Women s Championship 8+ 1 st University of Miami 2 nd University of Oklahoma 3 rd University of Texas - Austin All three clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 19 other entries. Event 21 12:51pm - Men s Master 8+ 1 st Atlanta Rowing Club 2 nd Tallahassee Rowing Club 3 rd Western Reserve Rowing Association All three clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 13 other entries. Event 22 12:55pm - Men s Youth 8+ 1 st Capital City Rowing 2 nd Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club 3 rd Belen Jesuit Prep. School All three clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 60 other entries. Belen is returning after a 6 th place finish at the Head of the Charles 2 weeks ago. Event 36 5:00pm - Men s Championship 4+ 1 st Florida Institute of Technology B 2 nd Florida Institute of Technology A 3 rd Jacksonville University Rowing Both clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 16 other entries, with FIT as the clear favorite after finishing 1 st and 2 nd in 2013. Event 37 5:05pm - Women s Championship 4+ 1 st University of Tennessee Women s Rowing 2 nd University of Miami Crew 3 rd University of Tennessee Women s Rowing Both clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 22 other entries. Page 6 of 7
EVENTS AND AWARDS SUNDAY: Event 60 - Men s Youth 1x 1 st ROCCS, Inc. 2 nd Belen Jesuit Prep School 3 rd Miami Beach Rowing Club This event is the 3 rd largest event at the Hooch this year with 72 entries. All three winners in 2013 are returning, although both ROCCS and Miami have new rowers competing this year. Event 74 - Women s Open 2-1 st University of Oklahoma D 2 nd University of Oklahoma A 3 rd University of Tennessee Women s Rowing Both clubs are fielding entries again in 2014 and will be racing against 27 other entries including two members of the US National Team - Amanda Polk and Adrienne Martelli. Page 7 of 7