GPS Rowing at the Head of the Hooch (Chattanooga, TN)

GPS Rowing competed in the annual Head of the Hooch Regatta held right here on the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga. This event was the final regatta for the Bruisers this Fall. The GPS rowers and coxswains held their own against strong competition from across the country, which includes club teams from California, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Saturday was a beautiful day to be racing, although there was a fog delay to start the regatta. The Bruisers started the day with the varsity eights racing in the Women’s Youth 8+ event. The two GPS entries finished 24th and 60th out of 76 crews in that event. The next race down the course for GPS was the Women’s Youth Novice 8+, who finished 11th out of 29 teams in that event. The last event of the first day of racing was the Women’s Youth 4+, in which GPS had two varsity entries. The Bruisers finished 4th and 57th out of 91 entries. The 4th place crew, comprised of Allison Smith, Larkin Brown, Olivia Evans, Rebecca Guhde, and coxswain Lizzy Walley, was only 8.949 seconds off the winning time held by St. Andrew Rowing Club from Atlanta, GA. The second and third place crews were Dayton Rowing Club (OH) and Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club (OH) respectively.

On Sunday at the Hooch, GPS had three events on deck with the Women’s Youth Single (1x), Lightweight Four (4+), and Pair (2-). The weather was a bit tougher for rowing on the second day of racing which began with another fog delay, as well as a shortened race course due to the wind which created water too rough to row at the original start line of the course. The new start line was located at the Chattanooga Rowing/Lookout Rowing Club Boathouse making the new course only 2100 meters in length, compared to the original 5000m course. Launching under still choppy water and gusty wind, the Women’s Youth 1x event finished with the Bruisers holding the 39th and 63rd of 66 entries by Katie Nash and Addie Youmans respectively. The next race on Sunday was the Women’s Youth Lightweight 4+ who finished 19th of 32 crews. The last event scheduled for the Bruisers was the Women’s Youth 2- event, which was cancelled due to unsafe conditions for racing (pairs are the most unstable of any rowing shell). All in all, the Bruisers of GPS raced extremely well against some of the strongest competition from across the country. Although the Head of the Hooch wrapped up our 2018 Fall season, these athletes are ready to start Winter training season to build speed for the Spring racing season.