Rowers Begin Practicing For Head of the Charles

College and University crew teams from around the country gathered at Newell Boathouse yesterday to prepare for tomorrow's annual Head of the Charles Regatta.

Members of the different teams, most of whom spent the afternoon practicing on the Charles, yesterday expressed great excitement over the race. Most saw the regatta both as a prestigious event and a time for meeting other students.

Five Kansas State University students paid $350 each to come to the regatta because they felt thay had a shot at winning the Intermediate fours event, Kevin Hankins, one of the students, said yesterday.

Twenty-five University of Nebraska students said they raised traveling money through sweepstakes and donations. To reach Cambridge, the team drove for 40 hours, non-stop, in a van, a station wagon, and a truck, the students said.

"Of course it's worth it; we love it," Rachelle Luft, one of the Nebraska students, said yesterday. "It's the highlight of our season," Luft added.