fall 2026 Season

Fall racing is one of the highlights of the ETHS Rowing year, with a mix of local competition, team-wide racing and two destination regattas that bring together strong programs from across the Midwest.

The season gets underway on September 19 with the Tough Cup in Chicago, our first opportunity for Varsity crews to line up against other area programs. It’s an early-season test and a chance to see how the work put in during the opening weeks of practice translates to racing.

Next comes the E-Town Scrimmage at Dammrich Rowing Center, an event that brings the entire team together. Unlike the larger regattas on the schedule, the scrimmage provides a more relaxed racing environment and valuable experience for newer rowers while giving our more experienced athletes another opportunity to compete close to home.

On October 11, ETHS heads to Rockford for Head of the Rock, one of the signature fall rowing events in the Midwest. Crews race a winding course on the Rock River in the traditional fall “head race” format—boats starting one at a time and racing against the clock rather than side-by-side. With clubs and high school programs coming from throughout the region, Head of the Rock is always a busy and exciting day of racing and an important benchmark as the season progresses.

The fall season culminates October 23–24 in Columbus, Ohio, at the Blake Haxton Fall Regatta. A selection of the team will make the trip for our final competition of the season. Racing on the Scioto River, the regatta provides an opportunity to compete against programs we don't regularly see at our Chicago-area events and gives our athletes a fitting conclusion to the fall racing season.

From our first races in Chicago to the final trip to Columbus, the Fall season gives ETHS rowers the opportunity to gain racing experience, challenge themselves against strong competition and continue building the depth and strength of the program. Just as importantly, it gives athletes and families plenty of opportunities to come together and enjoy the energy and community that make regatta days such an important part of ETHS Rowing.

Fall Practice