The 51st Head of the Charles Regatta is underway, with the most talented collegiate rowers in the country expecting to leave their mark on one of the most unique spectacles in the sport. Annually one of the best attended regattas in the world, Head of the Charles offers a natural audience for any advertising company willing to take advantage of the opportunity. With that in mind, keep an eye out for two organizations in particular.

First on the list, given the recent history, is the United States Olympic Committee. Given the July collapse of the Boston 2024 Olympic bid is inevitably still fresh in their minds, the USOC probably returns to Boston feeling a bit like Buckner walking back into Shea Stadium. That said, the group will undoubtedly receive a warmer welcome, given the purpose of the visit.

Part of the “Road to Rio” nationwide tour, Olympic athletes will be visiting Head of the Charles in an effort to inspire further support of Team USA. (Remember: The USOC is the only major Olympic program in the world to be completely privately funded, so generating support is a vital task).

Olympians past in present will be in attendance, including 2008 gold medal gymnast Nastia Liukin and gold medal swimmer, Ryan Lochte. They will be joined by medal-winning rower Caryn Davies and three-time Olympian Lolo Jones.

The other major booth to be aware of is the one for athletic shoe and apparel company New Balance. As was done last year, New Balance produced a custom shoe for the Head of the Charles. The company plans to sell the shoe for a limited time, carrying it at its booth alongside the river.

New Balance is also offering other limited Head of the Charles apparel, including a windbreaker, vest and various shirts.

And clearly, don’t forget to take a look at Eugene Muzykin’s video at the top of the page, where he took a drone and filmed rowers on the Charles. High quality work that’s worth a watch.

Image via New Balance