Have you ever seen a group of stormtroopers race down Victoria's Gorge waterway?

If the answer is no, then you've likely never been a spectator at the University of Victoria's Head and Tail of the Gorge regatta, an annual event that sees rowers from across Canada and the Pacific Northwest race up and down the Gorge narrows dressed in outrageous costumes.

The regatta, which started 43-years ago in 1978, is traditionally a warm-up for the Vikes to the Canadian University Rowing Championships in early November. The Halloween-themed head race encourages athletes to dress up on Saturday as part of a costume contest. The event is highly accessible, drawing in hundreds of entries from clubs and individuals of all ages and skill levels. There are 200 entries and 19 clubs competing this year, with the furthest team coming from St. Johns, NB.

A head race is a time-trial competition—instead of racing for distance, it's raced against the clock, with the goal being to have the fastest overall time with as few penalties as possible. Head racing is generally more accessible than sprint racing because it's longer and more technical, requiring precision and endurance over power output.

"The race is really fun and exciting to watch, especially as teams go under the Gorge Bridge. Head racing is more of a steering game with teams having to rely heavily on their coxswains," said Jane Gumley, women's rowing interim head coach.

"It's a fun race with lots of turns which is different than our usual straight line two km race," said Eliza-Jane Kitchen, Vikes women's rowing captain. "I love going through the narrows with everyone cheering. The water moves fast, so you kind of surge through."

The Head of the Gorge runs on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 10:00 a.m. onward, starting at the Johnson Street Bridge and finishing in front of Esquimalt Park. On Sunday, Oct. 17, the tail of the Gorge begins back in the Portage Inlet with a big S-turn inside the basin before heading out onto the Gorge waterway and finishing at the Esquimalt Gorge Park. Saturday's course is 4.5km long while Sunday's course is 3.5km..

You will be hard-pressed to miss the fun walking anywhere along the Gorge this weekend, but if you're looking for excitement, the best places to watch is along the walkway under the Gorge Bridge (Tillicum) at Esquimalt Gorge Park or find a spot on the Selkirk Trestle near the Fairway Gorge Paddle Club and watch the boats fly by.

The Vikes have roughly 100 athletes competing at the varsity and novice level between the men's and women's rowing programs. For many of the novice Vikes, the regatta serves as the first chance to row in front of home fans under the University of Victoria banner.

In November, competition ramps up to the next level as the Vikes look to regain its spot atop the Canadian university podium in Welland, ON., Nov. 6-7.

Learn more about the event