UCLA Men's Rowing is headed east this weekend for one of rowing's grandest stages—the 60th Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins will race in the Men's Collegiate Four, returning to the storied Charles River course for the seventh consecutive year.

Head Coach Marcel Stiffey views the event as both a benchmark and a proving ground for the program. "We're heading back to Boston this week for the Head of the Charles, one of the team's early-season milestones," said Stiffey. "It's a course that tests everything: steering, composure, and rhythm. I feel our group is in a much better place this year to handle all of it."

Last fall, the Bruins started fifth and were caught behind a slower crew that never yielded, preventing them from finding their full rhythm. But that experience, Stiffey noted, has fueled this year's preparation. "We've looked to recreate those types of scenarios at the Marina," he added. "This year, we'll start third, which gives us a clearer path and the opportunity to row our own race."

Seniors Max Ryan, Nick Ryan, and Toby Gajar provide both experience and cohesion and that continuity has been central to the crew's confidence. "This is our third year with largely the same boat," said Gajar, the boat's two seat and team captain. "I'm looking forward to improving our position again and going back to Boston with my boys one more time."

For senior coxswain Maria Martins the challenge of navigating the Charles for the first time is one she's been researching closely. "I've been focused on studying the course, memorizing the most efficient line, and practicing my turns on the Marina," she said. "I think we have all the pieces we need to be successful, and it will just come down to our execution on race day."

Sophomore Hayden Santos is the youngest member of the lineup but a veteran of the regatta. He competed for Los Gatos Rowing in the Youth Quad event as a high school senior and the goal of returning to Boston inspired his summer training. "Having the opportunity to try for the Charles boat lent a huge motivation to get me through a lot of tough workouts," he said. "It's exciting to go back and see it all from a new perspective."

The Bruins enter the 40-boat event ranked among the top crews in the field, coming off a third-place finish in 2024 and fifth in 2023. UCLA has a proud history on the Charles in the Collegiate 4 event, with a third-place finish in 2018 and a gold medal in 2019, with the crew of Trevor Phillips, Chase Bakkeby, Jules Ouwerkerk, Benjamin Koch, and coxswain Kate Hirth.

For Stiffey, the trip to Boston is about more than medals—it's about representing UCLA's tradition on one of rowing's most iconic courses. "I'm proud of the work the group has put in and the way they've carried themselves all fall," he said. "Through their summer of training, they've earned this opportunity, and I'm excited to see them represent UCLA on one of rowing's biggest stages. This weekend's race is just a small sample of the exciting things happening down at the boathouse."

The Head of the Charles Regatta runs October 18–20, featuring more than 11,000 athletes from around the world. The Bruins' Collegiate Four will race on Sunday, October 20 at 1:19 PM EDT (10:19 AM PDT). Fans can watch the race live on YouTube at Head of the Charles Regatta Channel and find full event details and results at RegattaCentral.

Friends of UCLA Rowing in the Boston area please come on down, join the parents and alums, and introduce yourself to Coach Stiffey and the crew.