The shores of the Otonabee River will be lined with hundreds of boats and oars this weekend as the Trent University Rowing Club and the Peterborough Rowing Club prepare for the annual Head of the Trent regatta. The Head of the Trent is a 4.7-km head race down the Otonabee, finishing under the Faryon Bridge on the Trent University campus. The regatta draws athletes from all age and skill levels from high school to national teams. Teams from across Canada, including British Columbia and Quebec, will be competing in the event. The Head of the Trent is also homecoming weekend for Trent alumni and numerous activities are planned to welcome back former students, including old boys and old girls rugby, soccer, a barbecue and children's events. A schedule of Head of the Trent alumni events can be found at http://www.trentu.ca/alumni/headofthetrent.html. Photos of the events will be posted throughout Saturday on the Trent University Alumni Web site at http://www.trentu.ca/alumni/images01/. This enables alumni, parents and friends of the rowers to get a glimpse into the day's activities. Last year's regatta attracted almost 2,000 competitors and contributed more than $300,000 to the local Peterborough economy over the weekend. Head of the Trent runs from September 28 to September 30. Peterborough residents are encouraged to come out and cheer on some of the country's top rowing athletes.

Distribution: Peterborough, Regional