The Head of the Hooch Regatta, previously known as the Head of the Chattahoochee Regatta, is a 2-day

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically atta ...

regatta held annually on the first full (Saturday and Sunday in the same month) weekend in November in

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

. The

head race A head race is a time-trial competition in the sport of rowing. Head races are typically held in the fall, winter and spring seasons. These events draw many athletes as well as observers. In this form of racing, rowers race against the clock wh ...

is currently run downstream on a course on the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...

. It presently ranks as one of the largest rowing regattas in the United States with over 10,000 rowers and over 2,100 boats entered for the 2014 event.Compare Head of the Hooch's 2,236 entries. See ; with

Head of the Fish The Head Of The Fish Regatta is a rowing race held on the last weekend of October each year on Fish Creek, within Saratoga County, New York State. The race is named the "Head" of the Fish because it is a head race A head race is a time-trial ...

's 2,028 entries. See ; and

Head of the Charles The Head of the Charles Regatta, also known as HOCR, is a rowing head race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October (i.e., on the Friday that falls between the 16th and the 22nd of the month, and on the Saturday and Sunday immedia ...

's 2,253 entries. See 1,245 boats raced on one day in the 2012 competition, more than any other US regatta on a single day. The event is currently co-hosted by the

Atlanta Rowing Club Atlanta Rowing Club (ARC) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) masters rowing club located in Roswell, Georgia. ARC's colors are red and white. As a masters organization, it is the only club in the Atlanta area for rowers who are beyond high school or colle ...

and the Lookout Rowing Club. The St. Andrews Rowing Club is also a major partner providing assistance with the set up and operation of the regatta. The Hooch organization is 100% volunteers, with no paid staff. The Hooch has been recognized as one of the most laid back and hospitable regattas in the country by ''Rowing News Magazine''. Competitors each year come from over 30 states and several foreign countries. The athletes’ ages span from high school crews to adult masters rowers aged 80 and above. The regatta runs a comprehensive list of events with men's, women's, and mixed boats in youth (high school), novice, college and club, varsity collegiate, championship, and masters categories.

History

In 1981, the

organized a head race on the

Chattahoochee River The Chattahoochee River forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida - Georgia border. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chatta ...

, in front of their boathouse in

Roswell, Georgia Roswell is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States. At the official 2010 census, the city had a population of 88,346. The 2020 estimated population was 94,884, making Roswell the state's ninth largest city. A close suburb of Atla ...

. The first race hosted only 105 boats. As word spread the regatta drew increasing numbers of rowers each year to the beautiful Roswell, GA venue on the Chattahoochee River. By 1998 almost 500 boats raced in one day. The wait at the docks to launch and recover was becoming too long and trailers were stacked up in the park and on both sides of the adjacent Azalea Drive for more than a half-mile. Clearly the regatta had outgrown the site. In November 1997, the regatta moved from Roswell to the 1996 Olympic rowing venue in

Gainesville, Georgia The city of Gainesville is the county seat of Hall County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 42,296. Because of its large number of poultry processing plants, it is often called the "Poultry Capital of t ...

. Following the move, the number of boats raced at the Hooch grew annually by 15-20%. While the Olympic Venue was and is an exceptional racecourse, by 2004 Hooch regatta attendance was overwhelming available hotel and restaurant facilities in the nearby town of Gainesville, GA. In 2004, over 1000 boats raced and the regatta began looking for alternate venues to accommodate further growth. In 2004, Chattanooga, Tennessee had just completed a $120 million renovation of their downtown waterfront area, designed to accommodate events with large numbers of participants and spectators. The Head of the Chattahoochee committee approached Lookout Rowing Club, local to Chattanooga, along with the City of Chattanooga, to explore the prospect of conducting the regatta there on the Tennessee River. In 2005, the ''Head of the Chattahoochee Regatta'' changed its name to ''Head of the Hooch Regatta'' and held the event for the first time in Chattanooga. The new venue was an instant success. The appeal and convenience of a regatta in the downtown area of a city like Chattanooga was undeniable. Rowers and spectators could walk from the venue to hotels and restaurants. In addition, the city offered many nearby attractions for non-rowing members and spectators. The race ends at Ross's Landing Park in downtown Chattanooga. In 2015, the Hooch accepted over 2100 entries over the two-day regatta. The Hooch currently ranks as one of the largest head races (in number of boats raced) in North America, along with the

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

and the Head of the Fish in

Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...

. A virtual race is planned in 2020.

Row for the Cure

Every team attending the Hooch is encouraged to hold a Row for the Cure fundraiser prior to the Hooch. Each team can raise money for the Komen for the Cure affiliate serving their local community in the fight against breast cancer. Fundraising also takes place during the regatta, with special women’s races labeled as Row for the Cure events. Tens of thousands of dollars are raised each year.

References

External links

Official Head of the Hooch Website

Video describing the Head of the Hooch
{{Rowing (sport) Rowing competitions in the United States Head races Annual sporting events in the United States Sports in Chattanooga, Tennessee Annual events in Tennessee Recurring sporting events established in 1981 1981 establishments in Tennessee

History

Row for the Cure

See also

References

External links