The Radcliffe team competes Saturday in the Women’s Club Eights event. Coach Liz O’Leary led the team to a fifth-place finish – just ahead of MIT but behind the University of Southern California, Yale, Georgetown and Penn. (Photo: Tyler Motes)

The annual Head Of The Charles Regatta returned to the Charles River last weekend after its 2020 cancellation for coronavirus concerns. The regatta,  founded in 1965, is the world’s largest rowing race and draws more than 11,000 scullers and sweep rowers from around the world, as well as more than 1,800 volunteers. This year saw the addition of two hours of Friday events to allow for more athletes and flexibility, organizers said. There were 2,231 entries this year from 619 clubs.

Cambridge athletes – from the Cambridge Boat Club unless otherwise noted – took first in Women’s Senior Master Doubles (for those 50-plus) and Men’s Grand Master Doubles (60-plus) on Friday; Women’s Master/Senior Master Singles (30-plus and 40-plus), Men’s Grand Master Fours, Women’s Senior Master Fours, Men’s Club Fours (a Harvard crew) and Women’s Lightweight Singles (Elizabeth Martin of the Riverside Boat Club) on Saturday; and saw two first-place wins Sunday, both from MIT teams: Women’s Lightweight Fours and Men’s Collegiate Eights.