Philadelphia regatta series is established

With the goal of developing elite status and gaining corporate sponsorship, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, comprising 22 annual events on the Schuylkill from March to November, has been established.

"It offers year-round exposure to a broad demographic and an increasingly diverse audience," Clete Graham, executive director of the Schuylkill Navy Regatta Directors Forum and former Schuylkill Navy commodore, said Wednesday during the announcement at the Vesper Boat Club on Boathouse Row.

The marquee races in the series that will begin in 2011 are the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Championship, Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, Schuylkill Navy Regatta, and Independence Day Regatta.

Graham said city representative Melanie Johnson approached Schuylkill Navy officials in the winter about a "possible partnership."

"She said, 'Boy, you've got a great product here. You've got a great series of events. Rather than each one of you going after sponsors, you should band together and market yourselves as a series.' So we embraced the idea. We ran with it."

The Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series does not include the Dad Vail Regatta, the largest collegiate rowing event in the country. Shortly before the 72d Dad Vail was held in May, Aberdeen Asset Management, a Scottish investment firm, signed a four-year agreement and contributed "six figures" to become the competition's title sponsor.

Last November, for economic reasons, the Dad Vail was set to move to the Navesink River in Rumson, N.J. To help keep the regatta here, the city, according to Dad Vail president Jim Hanna, "committed $300,000 to improve the finish-line grandstand and build a world-class finish-line tower."

Stotesbury, held in May and billed as the world's oldest and largest high school regatta, featured 5,500 rowers and 933 boats this year. Champions were crowned in 30 events.

"Boathouse Row is an icon of Philadelphia, and the Schuylkill is a nationally and internationally known destination," Graham said. "It's the home of Olympic and world-champion rowers. Teams come from around the world to compete here."

Leslie Pfeil is the new president of the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association, which runs eight races, including the city high school championship, from mid-March to mid-May.

"I think it's wonderful that the races are going to be working together and that the city is supporting us," Pfeil said. "I'm hoping that high school rowing will benefit from the series."

During Wednesday's announcement, Graham and John Hogan, commodore of the Schuylkill Navy, awarded Mayor Nutter the rank of admiral of the Schuylkill Navy.

Of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, Nutter said, "I could not be more excited or more proud that all these groups have come together to combine their strength and their power in a way that will pay dividends for the city, the region, and the nation."

Nutter was presented with a cap and framed picture of him standing on the dock next to members of the St. Joseph's Prep varsity eight that triumphed at this year's Stotesbury. Nutter is a 1975 Prep graduate.

"This series should be to rowing what the bike race is from a national standpoint," Nutter said, referring to the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship on June 6.

"Everyone knows that the bike race in Philadelphia is the largest event of its kind anywhere in the United States, if not the world, for a one-day race. The Philadelphia Classic should be the same."

Said Garrett Miller, a 2000 Olympian who rowed at La Salle High and Penn, "This is going to be a great thing for Philadelphia, a great thing for rowing."

Here are the 22 events that will make up the 2011 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series:

High School

Stotesbury Cup Regatta

1st Manny Flick/Horvat Series

2d Manny Flick/Horvat Series

3d Manny Flick/Horvat Series

4th Manny Flick/Horvat Series

5th Manny Flick/Horvat Series

Catholic League Boys' and Inter-Ac League Girls' Championships

Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association Championship

Dr. White Regatta

College

Murphy Cup

Kerr Cup

Masters

Quaker City Masters Regatta

Open

Hutchinson Cup

Navy Day Regatta

Row for the Cure

Head of the Schuylkill Regatta

Philadelphia Frostbite Regatta

Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta

Schuylkill Navy Regatta

Philadelphia Youth Regatta

Independence Day Regatta

Dragon Boat

Independence Dragon Boat Regatta

For dates of races and information, go to www.boathouserow.org. EndText