Held from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., following the Holy Half Marathon, the Fisher Regatta took to Saint Mary’s Lake on April 11 as students competed in the 25th annual event.
The regatta, organized by the Coyle community living in Zahm Hall, formerly known as Fisher Hall, raises funds for St. Adalbert Catholic School.
This year’s competition drew 30 boats, a similar number as in recent years, ranging from Coca-Cola bottles bound together with duct tape to repurposed pool floaties and more structurally complex builds made from insulation foam and fiberglass.
The Notre Dame Fire Department was on site to ensure the safety of all participants.
Participation in the regatta is free, though teams are responsible for building their own boats. Many dorms subsidize construction costs, with Coyle providing up to $50 per team. As a result, arrangements varied widely from last-minute builds to boats constructed over several weeks.
In the days leading up to the event, Coyle residents promoted the regatta through campus outreach and a long-standing tradition known as the “Regatta Hawks.”
“We do this thing called the Regatta Hawks to spread awareness for the event,” said Aidan Sachs, former president of the Coyle Community in Zahm. “The week of the regatta, the freshmen get Mohawks, all voluntarily.”
While most participants opt for traditional Mohawks, others take a more creative approach.
“Some people get reverse Mohawks, sideways Mohawks, some people get an ‘F’ on the back of their heads for Fisher; it’s all optional,” Sachs said.
In previous years, the haircut tradition had been restricted by the Student Activities Office after being considered hazing under Du Lac policy. Organizers have since modified the practice.
“So now we brought one of the University hair stylists from LaFortune, and he’s on site,” Sachs said. “If someone doesn’t like their cut, he can fix it up.”
The competition began at 12:30 p.m. with three women’s heats, each showcasing a mix of dorm teams and independent groups. In the first heat, a team using plastic water coolers surged ahead early to win, propelled primarily by self-propulsion. A barrel-based boat from the sailing team, led by captain Jacklyn Messina, finished close behind, while Cavanaugh Hall’s entry partially disassembled mid-race but still crossed the finish line.
“We built this 15 minutes before — our goal is to float. We came straight from the half-marathon to this!” said one participant from Howard Hall, whose team constructed its boat from pool floaties and a wooden plank secured with duct tape.
The second heat featured a standout performance from “Lil ESTEEM Engine That Could,” led by captain Ellie Kissane. This team of graduate students, dressed in white biohazard suits, secured a decisive win.
“We took inspiration from last year’s ESTEEM boat, but we changed a few structural things to make it faster,” Kissane said.
In the third heat, a team from Saint Mary’s College advanced to the final with a boat made of insulation foam and fiberglass, while a Cavanaugh team led by captain Emma Latchford competed with an inflatable pool design.
The women’s final included the ESTEEM team, the Saint Mary’s team and a Lewis Hall entry that replaced a previous heat winner whose boat had fallen apart. Lewis competed with its long-standing “Lewis Canoe,” a recurring presence in past regattas. Saint Mary’s ultimately claimed first place, with Coyle commentator Teddy Davey noting, “It might be the fastest boat we’ve seen today.”
Men’s and co-ed heats followed, featuring five rounds of competition and a wide range of designs. In the first heat, a Fisher Hall team led by Brendan Capshaw advanced with a rectangular inflatable pool boat. The second heat was won by “Sing or Swim,” a Glee Club team whose boat combined wood and barrels, topped with a couch and club flag.
In heat three, the Coyle RA team, named “Y-G-ARRRRR” and led by senior Martin Soros, advanced to the final after a closely contested race.
Across all heats, the final men’s competitors included teams from the Knights of Columbus, ESTEEM and a Fisher senior group. Their boats included a green styrofoam build, a black H-shaped wooden structure and a rectangular pool-based design.
By the end of the afternoon, Saint Mary’s team had secured the women’s title, while the Knights of Columbus took home the men’s victory.
With a mix of competition, creativity and campus tradition, the Fisher Regatta once again drew a large crowd to the lakeside.
