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BIDDEFORD, Maine

UNE students compete in prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta

On October 17, 2015 members of the UNE rowing club were invited to participate in the 51st annual Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, the largest regatta in the northeast and one of the most prestigious in the country. It was the university’s first time competing in the event, which attracts 400,000 spectators and 11,000 athletes, including some of the world’s best crew teams.

Kirsten Condon ‘18, Jessica Leek ‘16, Morgan Hill ‘16, Elizabeth Beattie ‘17 and Kati Hein ‘17 rowed on behalf of the 25 students in UNE’s recreational rowing club, which submitted a bid to race at the Head of the Charles in the summer of 2015.  Submitting the bid sent a message to the national rowing community that UNE has a growing program that wishes to compete at the highest levels.

“It was a thrill of a lifetime hear about their first invitation to the Head of the Charles Regatta, one of the world’s most famous athletic events,” said associate vice president and director of Athletics Jack McDonald. “I cannot thank the student-athletes, their coach Geoff Bickford and their advisor Brian Wallace enough for all they did to advise and coach our crew team so they would be invited and prepared for this historic event.”

UNE started the club in the fall of 2013 and it experienced consistent growth each semester, now competing regularly with crews from around the region. Students expressed interest in starting a crew team, and the dream came to fruition in 2013 with the help of newly hired assistant director for Student Activities/Organizations, Brian Wallace. In the spring of 2015, Undergraduate Student Government helped to purchase a dock and additional equipment to further the club’s growth.

"It was wonderful to observe two years of hard work on the part of our students coming to fruition,” said Wallace of the regatta. “The UNE women rowed well and competed among the best collegiate crews in the nation. It was an honor to participate and we look forward to many more appearances at the Head of the Charles".

Watch the UNE rowing club compete in the Head of the Charles.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.