Tabor crew team competes at ‘Head of the Charles’

BOSTON — The Tabor Academy Girls’ Crew Team  participated in the Head of the Charles Regatta, the largest two-day regatta in the world on Oct. 21.

Tabor’s team consisted of Juniors Lainie Cederholm of Cotuit and Zoë Mermin of Newport, Rhode Island, and seniors Alex Szynal of Annapolis, Maryland, Charlotte Gebhard of Dartmouth, and coxswain Daisy Cook of Atlantis, Florida. The girls rowed their way through a 5 kilometer course in the Charles River in Boston.

Finishing in just under 22 minutes, the Tabor girls placed in the bottom half of a strong 85-boat field. But the experience of rowing in one of the world's largest boat race is likely one they will remember forever.

The Head of the Charles offers a unique challenge to its competitors. Traditional races are only about six minutes in duration, so athletes must focus more on endurance and pacing to make it through the Charles River race in a competitive time.

Coach Meredith Finch said that “as always, it is an incredible honor to have the opportunity to race at the Head of the Charles. As the first Tabor girls to compete since 2016, it was a great experience to be able to participate in the largest regatta in the world, racing the same day as Olympic champions. They navigated the course well and should be proud of their accomplishment ability to represent their program.”

Tabor Academy last sent a crew team to the event in 2017 when the Boys’ Crew Team qualified for the challenging regatta.