Head of the Hooch Sees 2,200 Entries
The Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which was originally the Head of the Chattahoochee when it debuted in 1982, will see 2,200 entries speeding down the Tennessee River on Saturday and Sunday, November 2-3, 2024.
“We’re one of the friendliest regattas—we want to make sure everyone has a great weekend and a fun time,” said Hooch registrar, Chris Lemcke. “We have 1,200 youth entries this year so there will definitely be some great racing in those events. Fours and eights are the two big ones to watch. We have them combined for the age groups this year so they will come down the course as U17 and U19 mixed together but there will be great racing in both those divisions. It’s about 2,200 entries total—we run about 1,250 Saturday and 950 on Sunday.”
Atlanta Rowing Club started the then 200 boat race in the 1980s. It was a 5,000 meter up-river course on the Chattahoochee River until 1996 when it moved to Lake Lanier, in Gainesville, Georgia. In 2005, with over 1300 competitors the year prior, the regatta needed a bigger venue and transitioned to the Tennessee River, in Chattanooga. Although it no longer takes place on the Chattahoochee, the event has since been known as “the Hooch” as a non to its origins.
“It’s a unique regatta,” said Lemcke. “It’s just great to be another single venue regatta. It’s walking distance into the city and fans can see everything there is to offer from restaurants to the aquarium. It keeps everyone together—sponsors, vendors, spectators, and families. It’s all in one spot and everyone can watch the racing.”
Lemcke has been involved with the event ever since he was born, and he seen the regatta evolve into what it is today.
“I’ve been doing registration for round ten years, but I’ve been at every Hooch since I’ve been alive. My dad Ulrich Lemcke was president of ARC in the 90s for a while. He’s now currently chairman of the board for Friends of the Hooch. My mom spent time as regatta secretary. She also was ARC president for a while. My first Hooch racing experience was around ’04 and ’05.”
Head of the Hooch continues to cater to those, like the Lemckes, for whom the regatta is a family tradition, and to those who will be competing for the first time in 2024.
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