Philadelphia, PA - October 17, 2016- On Tuesday, October 25, 100 Philadelphia area middle and high school students will converge on the Conshohocken Rowing Center to compete in an indoor rowing race with eight international Olympic and world rowing champions, including America's own silver medalist in the single sculls, Dr. Gevvie Stone.
The kids and the Olympians will race together in teams on rowing machines, sprinting 100 or 500 meters (depending on their grade level), jumping on and off the machines to take turns in a frenzied rush to finish first. The relay race marks the culmination of a special development program serving under-resourced youth, funded by The Philadelphia Gold Challenge Cup Foundation in partnership with St. James School.
Located near iconic Boathouse Row in the Allegheny West section of North Philadelphia, St. James School is a faith-based Philadelphia middle school in the Episcopal tradition, which strives to help change the face of educational opportunity for their students with the hope of school graduates one day breaking the cycle of poverty in this area.
The Philadelphia Gold Cup Challenge Cup Foundation has been providing transportation, healthy lunches and indoor rowing coaching at the Conshohocken Rowing Center to twenty St. James 6ththrough 8th graders each Saturday throughout the fall, free of charge. The students have been developing their fitness and rowing acumen week over week, and will cap off their fall season with an indoor rowing machine relay race, led by eight international Olympic rowers, many sporting their Rio Olympic medals. The Olympians will also "coach" teams of 80 local high school crew athletes, with proceeds from the event benefiting the expansion of the middle school indoor rowing program to St. James School and other schools in 2017 and beyond. The high school rowing programs participating are: Malvern Preparatory School, The Haverford School, St. Edward's School of England, Whitemarsh Rowing Club, Merion Mercy Academy, Mount St. Joseph's Academy and Agnes Irwin School.
The Olympic athletes are in Philadelphia contending for the historic Philadelphia Gold Cup, the prize awarded to the fastest sculler in the world at the Gold Cup race held on the Schuylkill on October 29, 2016 at 12:15 PM. The athletes represent eight of the biggest names in sculling and are teaming up with Philadelphia youth in hopes of inspiring middle school and high school students to continue having fit, active lifestyles and to promote sculling in the United States.
This year's male competitors will include 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Mahé Drysdale (NZL), Olympic Silver Medalist Damir Martin (CRO), Olympic Gold Medalist in the men's double Martin Sinkovic (CRO) and 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist and defending Gold Cup champion Kjetil Borch (NOR).
The female competition will consist of Olympic Gold Medalist and defending Philadelphia Gold Cup Champion Kim Brennan (AUS), Olympic Silver Medalist Dr. Genevra "Gevvie" Stone (USA), Olympian Emma Twigg (NZL) and Olympian Jeannine Gmelin (SUI).
"The Gold Cup is not only the most exciting rowing competition outside of the Olympics, but it's a truly unique opportunity. When kids meet the Olympians they're inspired to develop a passion for sport, healthy living, and hard work," said Bill McNabb, chairman of the Philadelphia Gold Challenge Cup Foundation.
The Philadelphia Gold Cup will take place in conjunction with The Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, Philadelphia's largest and most inclusive regatta, which welcomes nearly 9,000 competitors and 40,000 spectators.
Event Information:
What: Gold Cup Indoor Rowing Competition
When: Tuesday, October 25th from 4:15 - 8:00pm
Location: Conshohocken Rowing Center 307 Washington St, Conshohocken, PA