With a shining sun, a cool breeze and a temperature hovering around 60 degrees as the backdrop, thousands flocked to the Charles River yesterday to take in the 35th rowing of the Head of the Charles Regatta.

The annual event drew crew enthusiasts and casual spectators alike. Some came from the spirit of competition and some were lured by the promise of free goodies.

"Look at the day," Radcliffe heavyweight crew coach Liz O'Leary said. "This is always a spectacle....The weather brings out the crowds."

And the crowds came from all over the continent.On the banks of the Charles, onlookers wearing sweatshirts emblazoned with the shields of the University of San Diego stood next to those with jackets from McGill University in Montreal. Every Ivy League university had fans in attendance, many of whom tailgated with fellow alumni.

"It's sort of the rowing version of the [Boston] Marathon," O'Leary said. "People who don't know anything about rowing come out and watch."

Kimberly Barry of Long Island came to the race with her husband and their four-year-old daughter Sarah.

Barry, whose husband rowed for the Cornell team "many years ago," said the family drove up just for the weekend and were staying with friends.

"This is our first time here," Barry said. "We've been enjoying ourselves tremendously."