With over 2,000 boats racing over two days, the Head of the Chattahoochee (or Head of the Hooch for short) is one of the world’s largest rowing regattas. This year, on Nov. 1 and 2, Head of the Hooch will celebrate its 10th year in Chattanooga.
More than 9,000 rowers from over 200 different organizations will participate. In past years, teams from as far away as Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Australia have rowed on the Tennessee. All told, Head of the Hooch has the largest number of entries per event of any major regatta.
The race itself is a 5,000-meter (3.1 mile) course on the Tennessee River with a finish line at Ross’s Landing park. The first race was organized in 1981 by the Atlanta Rowing Club and had 500 competitors. Since then, the regatta has grown in size and popularity each year.
If you plan to be one of the 15,000 spectators this weekend, some good viewing locations include the Walnut Street Bridge, Coolidge Park, and the 21st Century Riverfront. Another great way to follow the race is on the pedestrian/bike path along the river, and the best place to view the finish line is from the grandstands at Ross’s Landing.
The first boat will launch at 8:40 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1. To see a full race schedule and course map, visit headofthehooch.org.