Catawba Shines at the Head of the Hooch

November 1–2, 2025 · Chattanooga, TN

What a weekend! Our Catawba crews joined athletes from 40 states at the second-largest regatta in the U.S. CYC raced in Chattanooga, TN, for the Head of the Hooch in front of nearly 20,000 spectators over two action-packed days. Saturday delivered picture-perfect conditions: chilly morning air giving way to sunny, beautiful racing weather. Sunday tested our grit with morning rain. As the skies dried up for afternoon racing, our athletes proved that cloudy, damp conditions are no match for Catawba speed.

The results speak to the strength and depth of our program: 38 athletes competed across 24 entries, with standout performances throughout the weekend.

Golden Moments: Our Men's 8+ defended their title in dominant fashion, claiming 1st place out of 11 crews for the second consecutive year! The Men's 4+ Catawba A crew also repeated their excellence, earning 2nd overall and in the 50+ group, matching their 2024 result.

Podium Power: Strong finishes came from across the fleet. The Men's 4x Catawba A took 3rd of 20 (3rd of 12 in 50+), repeating last year's bronze performance, while Catawba B climbed one spot from 2024 to finish 6th. The Men's 2- (the Fullers) secured their third consecutive 2nd-place finish. Jess McAlear blazed to 3rd in the Women's 1x 43–54 with the fastest raw time in the entire event! Tom Phillips composited with Western Reserve to finish 5th of 34 in Men's 2x (5th of 22 in 50+), and our Mixed 4x Catawba B claimed 4th overall and in the 50+ group.

Rising Stars: Every race showed progress and potential. Our Women's Open 4x moved up one place to 4th of 13. That's momentum heading into the next year. The Men's 4+ Catawba B finished strong at 4th of 12 in the U50 group, while both our Men's 4x crews demonstrated the depth of our quad program. In the massive 62-boat Women's 2x field, our crews battled tough competition, and our Women's 4x Catawba A placed 8th of 28 in the 50+ group.

Team Achievement: Perhaps most impressive: Catawba finished 3rd in the Masters Points Trophy, moving up one spot from last year and finishing behind only powerhouse and co-host team Atlanta in first, followed by Michigan State Club. That's the collective result of dedication and racing heart across our entire roster.

A huge thank you to the many hands that made this regatta possible. From the organizers and planners to everyone who supported our athletes throughout the weekend, your efforts showcase what makes Catawba rowing special.

Here's to building on this momentum as we look ahead!

Full results

Women's Open 4x — J. McAlear / A. Lamano / K. Lynch / T. Stewart — 4 of 13

Mixed 4x — Catawba B: C. Parziale / J. Lambla / M. McGuire / P. Gilmore — 4th overall and in 50+ group · Catawba A: K. Dalton / H. Durand / J. Moore / S. Arnett — 8th in the 50+ group

Women's 8+ — R. Stewart / C. Knittel / L. Bailey-Samuels / L. Corrigan / C. Cary / S. Apostal / J. Dalton / C. Stevens / K. Vogel (cox) — 23 of 26 · O. Gilmore composite with CRI of Boston — 6 of 26

Men's 4+ — Catawba A: P. Stanislaw / R. Rabassa / R. Fuller / R. Fuller / B. Geiger (cox) — 2nd overall and in 50+ group · Catawba B: P. Hughston / P. Hunt / M. Ranis / D. Lewis / M. Shaw (cox) — 4 of 12 in U50 group

Mixed 2x — A. Cosgrove / J. McAlear — 24 of 50 · D. Villaret / R. Stewart — 41 of 50

Men's 8+ — T. Phillips / C. Parziale / P. Gilmore / M. Ranis / K. Dalton / P. Stanislaw / H. Durand / R. Fuller / B. Geiger (cox) — 1 of 11, repeating the 2024 win

Women's 4+ — K. Lynch / J. Moore / L. Bailey-Samuels / S. Arnett / K. Vogel (cox) — 8 of 16 in the U50 group

Men's 2x — Phillips composite — 5 of 34 overall, 5 of 22 in 50+ · R. Rabassa / R. Fuller — 22 of 34

Women's 2x — J. Moore / R. Stewart — 44 of 62 overall, 27 of 36 in 50+ · V. Cosgrove / J. Dalton — 52 of 62 overall, 32 of 36 in 50+

Women's 1x (43–54) — Jess McAlear — 3 of 13, fastest raw time in the event

Men's 1x (65+) — Henri Durand — 7 of 8

Mixed 4+ — R. Rabassa / P. Hughston / S. Arnett / C. Cary / B. Geiger (cox) — 14 of 17, 9 of 11 in group

Men's 4x — Catawba A: T. Phillips / K. Dalton / C. Parziale / P. Gilmore — 3 of 20, 3 of 12 in 50+ · Catawba B: M. Ranis / A. Cosgrove / D. Villaret / M. Bartoldus — 6 of 20, 6 of 12 in 50+

Men's 2- — the Fullers — 2 of 9

Mixed 8+ — P. Hunt / P. Stanislaw / P. Hughston / D. Lewis / C. Stevens / S. Apostal / J. Dalton / A. Lamano / K. Vogel (cox) — 12 of 16, 9 of 11