BOSTON – The Riverside Boat Club (RBC) will honor the late Simmons University Head Crew Coach Nikolay Kurmakov with a celebration of the rowing coach's life on Sunday morning. The Club will remember Kurmakov and all he accomplished for Simmons and the rowing community by naming Sunday's race the "Head of the Kurmakov." 

Following the race, there will be a buffet-style breakfast along with a small group of selected speakers from RBC, Simmons and the Kurmakov family to help celebrate his amazing life. Additionally, the Head of the Charles Regatta Executive Director, Frederick V. Schoch indicated they will be naming the winner of the Women's Sweep 8 trophy, The Nikolay Kurmakov Trophy beginning with this year's race (Oct. 22-24) 

Kurmakov, who served as the Simmons Head Crew Coach for nearly 30 years, passed away unexpectedly last October. He was a beloved coach and mentor to his rowers and made countless contributions to Simmons as well as the rowing community after coming to the United States in 1992. His eldest son, Alex, was a four-time letterwinner and All-American swimmer in the 200- and 800-yard free relay teams at Harvard.

Below is the schedule for Sunday's Head of the Kurmakov race and post-race event timetable:

Where: Riverside Boat Club | 769 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA
When: Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021
Time: 6 am – 9 am 

6am: Racers arrive to prepare for racing
6am:  Volunteers arrive to set up for event
7am: Racing starts 
8:30am: Racers and volunteers return to the club for a buffet-style breakfast
9:00am: Speakers present during/after breakfast with a brief program about Nik, his life and his time at Riverside and Simmons.