The Head of the Iowa regatta is back.

After a hiatus made longer by last year’s flood, the Iowa rowing team will once again display its skills in front of a home crowd during the Head of the Iowa regatta on Oct. 25 on the Iowa River.

Unable to host a regatta since 2006 because of poor river conditions, the Hawkeyes are excited about the prospect of racing in front of their fans in Iowa City.

Junior coxswain Anna Kolden said the rowers are eager to compete on the Iowa River after the long absence. Unlike other events, knowing that the majority of fans on the banks are cheering for Iowa will give the squad the ability to summon extra energy, she said.

“When you are in front of fans anywhere, there’s just this excitement you feel in the boat,” she said. “Just having the sense they’re all cheering for you, and it’s not for those other teams, will just heighten it even more. It’s a kind of rush and is exhilarating because all these people want you to do well.”

The Head of the Iowa course is a 2.5-mile stretch with the start located near Crandic Park and the end point under the bridge near the IMU.

Head coach Mandi Kowal said she’s apprehensive to claim a home-race advantage, but she did say the familiarity with the Iowa River should help facilitate the team’s success.

“We row it a million times, up and down, every day,” Kowal said. “They have a sense of the landmarks … I think that’s going to help them for sure.”

Junior rower Haylie Miller agreed that the team’s knowledge of the river could only help its chances.

“I think we have specific landmarks that we can recognize across the course,” she said. “We have those cues available to us that other teams have not had the chance to develop.”

Despite the advantage, Iowa will face strong competition in the varsity 8s and 4s from Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The Badgers are coming off a three-race sweep two weeks ago at the Head of the Rock regatta.

Kowal said Wisconsin and Minnesota always come with fast crews, but ignoring other schools such as Kansas State or Drake could be a devastating mistake.

“I’ve learned and been here long enough that you can never discount a crew,” she said.

The Hawkeyes are putting a lot of pressure on themselves to perform well with the Head of the Iowa being the first home race in three years, in addition to the unveiling of the new Beckwith Boathouse.

Kolden said these factors are creating adrenaline in the Hawkeyes, who want quality results.

“Being a home race, it would be great if we could come in and win,” Kolden said. “That’s always our ultimate goal — to put together the best performance we can, row the best race we can, and row the hardest we can.”