The Ithaca College women’s rowing team competed in the historic Head of the Charles regatta on Oct. 19 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The crew was one of the 2,685 entries in the massive three-day event.
The Head of the Charles regatta was first held in 1965, and since then it has grown into the world’s largest three-day rowing event. It is a premier competitive event that attracts rowers from all over the country of all ages and categories.
The Bombers brought nine of their rowing team members to compete in the women’s collegiate eights event: seniors Samantha Gallagher, Kai Lincke, Anna Capodilupo, Melanie Heim and Emmeline Robinson, juniors Julia DiCostanzo and Carys Owen, and sophomores Claire Edwards and Smeena Gill. The crew placed 13th out of 37 boats. Head coach Beth Greene was pleased with the results and the athletes’ effort.
“The athletes came back and they said they executed in a way that they were proud of, and that is the most important thing to me,” Greene said. “We’re in this phase where they’re working on that leadership and growing with confidence like they’re the ones to chase. A big event like this [has] lots of crowds and distractions, it’s a challenge, [and] I’m happy.”
Placing in the top half guaranteed the team re-qualification for the 2026 regatta, otherwise, they would have to enter a lottery. Capodilupo has helped the Bombers reach the threshold all three times in her career.
“It feels really good,” Capodilupo said. “You’re representing Ithaca College as a whole … people look up to that.”
The men’s team placed lower than the benchmark in 2024 and they did not compete at this year’s regatta.
The race is one of the most physically and mentally challenging on the Bombers’ schedule. The course is almost 5,000 meters long; a typical race for the Bombers is usually around 2,000. Capodilupo felt the physical pressure, but the crowd and her teammates guided her through.
“In my head, most of the time it’s ‘Oh my God, this hurts,’” Capodilupo said. “It’s definitely like a mix of motivational things and technical things I’m saying in my head … [and] responding well to the coxswain’s calls, which hype me up like crazy … [The race] feels so short because of all the crowds that are pushing you along and all the distractions.”
Head of the Charles is referred to as the “coxswain’s race,” because of the many curves and the high winds in the river. Gill, a sophomore coxswain, was chosen to take the position of steering and managing the boat during the race. Gill stepped into the role this year after the Bombers’ coxswain for the past two years graduated.
“This is really a big deal,” Gill said. “Personally, this grace [to be chosen as the coxswain] was a very big deal … I was really excited, personally, to be able to get the responsibility. I was also nervous, of course, but for me, it just really meant a lot.”
Despite its prestigious reputation, the races do not actually count towards the rankings, but the experience the athletes and the program gain is invaluable. Out of the regattas the Bombers row in, the Head of the Charles is the closest to a professional event. Programs travel from around the country and the world to participate in the weekend, and many people, including Greene, see it as a rewarding experience.
“There’s a lot of alumni boats there, and opportunities for people to kind of have a reunion weekend, and so I think it just shows that we’re in touch, that we want to be part of the community and celebrate our sport,” Greene said. “[The regatta] reminds me of the family and community that rowing has, and how we all want to root for each other and have each other’s backs, and that we have such fondness for each other.”
In Massachusetts, the team was able to connect and bond with each other. The seniors set an example and passed some of their wisdom down to the underclassmen, like Gill. After the race, she felt an overload of emotions.
“I remember after [the race], I was crying, it was so emotional, like, I just did that.” Gill said. “It was really amazing … being able to be in Boston together.”
The Bombers have two more races before they wrap their fall sculling season. They will compete at the Head of the Fish regatta on Oct. 25 in Saratoga Springs. It will be the first time the whole team will race together, including the new walk-on members.
Editor’s note: Kai Lincke is the community outreach manager of The Ithacan.
