The 2012 schedule of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, which brings together 20 previously independent events into the first year-long regatta series in the United States, launches this Sunday, March 18th with the first of five Manny Flick/Horvat Regattas for the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association (PSRA).
Sunday's high school rowing event begins at 10 a.m. and continues through approximately 1 p.m.
Admission to view this Sunday's first Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series event of the 2012 season is free of charge, with viewing areas on the banks of the Schuylkill River and in the Grandstand located on Kelly Drive beneath the Columbia Railroad Bridge. Limited parking for cars is available nearby in Fairmount Park. A full schedule for the Sunday's Manny Flick Regatta is available online at http://www.boathouserow.org and also at www.phillyflicks.com.
In response to the often asked query, "What's a Manny Flick," Manuel A. Flick was the parent of several rowers who competed in crew in the 1950s at Archbishop Prendergast High School (later Monsignor Bonner) in Drexel Hill. During the 1955-1956 seasons Mr. Flick organized a round-robin series of events for the Catholic League high schools, which over time evolved into the larger PSRA. The races have been known as the "Manny Flick" regattas ever since.
According to Leslie Pfeil, the President of the PSRA, "The PSRA is the largest high school rowing association in the country, and our annual series of Manny Flick races bring in schools from Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut, among other states in the region. Each week the schedule gets bigger and more rowers are involved until we get to the fifth and final Manny Flick Regatta of the season on Sunday, April 22nd."
This is the second year that the Manny Flick Regattas have been part of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, and the second year in which the PRSA event "launches" the year-long regatta series, which continues through Sunday, November 11th.
With three of the largest regattas in the Mid-Atlantic region on the schedule, as well as two of the nation's oldest regattas, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series connects the rowing competitors of today to the historic home of the international rowing elite. It is built upon a tradition that launched November 12, 1835 with the first organized regatta on the Schuylkill (a full eight years before the start of the rowing program at Harvard). Over 175 years later, the Schuylkill River hosts more regattas annually than any other river in the nation
Last year's debut season featured over 35,000 competitors in over 7,700 boats representing not only high schools but colleges, clubs, masters and open programs from around the country.
The complete 2012 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series schedule of 20 historic regattas:
Comments | Log in to comment |
There are no Comments yet
|