The Stotesbury Cup is the largest and oldest high school regatta in the world; the 2009 edition with include 181 teams and over 5,000 rowers. Here are some facts and figures as you follow along this weekend.
When: Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16, 2009. Time Trials begin Friday at 8 a.m. Semifinals begin Friday at 4 p.m. and run till 6:30 p.m. Semifinals continue Saturday at 8 a.m., and finals begin Saturday at 12:40 p.m. and continue until 5:30 p.m.
Where: The Schuylkill River, Kelly Drive, Philadelphia, PA. The 1,500-meter racecourse begins right before Strawberry Mansion Bridge and runs past the grandstands to the finish line near the Columbia Bridge. It has the standard six lanes.
Admission: There is no charge for the regatta. Programs and food are for sale and a wide selection of vendors offering clothing, jewelry, crafts and more are on site both days in the Athletes Village located near the Three Angels statues on Kelly Drive.
Traffic and Parking: Kelly Drive is closed both days of the regatta, and traffic is routed through Fairmount Park. Only competitors, volunteers and officials with passes are allowed to enter Kelly Drive during the regatta. All other traffic is routed through Fairmount Park and spectators will be directed to remote parking sites from which shuttle buses will provide free rides to the racecourse area. Parking costs $12 per day per car. A limited number of handicapped parking spaces are available.
Time Trials are head-style races with staggered starts every 15 seconds. The crews race against the clock and qualify for semifinals according to their times in the trials. Especially design software makes this possible.
Who: This year 5,260 high school athletes in 868 boats, representing 181 high schools, will compete in 30 events. Competitors hail from two countries – Canada and the United States, including 15 states.
History: What began in 1927 as a local Philadelphia "Cup Race" has evolved into today’s 30 championship events, ranging from the solitary single scull to the powerful varsity eight. The Stotesbury Cup, which celebrates its 83rd anniversary this year, is now considered the most competitive and one of the most prestigious high school regattas in the United Sates.
How: Sponsored by the Schuylkill Navy, the two-day regatta is run entirely by volunteers. The Stotesbury is a US Rowing registered regatta.
More information: Visit the Schuylkill Navy web site, www.boathouserow.org, and click on “Stotesbury Cup” for detailed information. Results are announced and posted at the regatta and online at the Schuylkill Navy web site.
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