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Historic Philadelphia Rowing Race Will Resume After 45-Year Hiatus

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Organizers of the annual "Dad Vail" Regatta say next May's event will, for the first time, include a separate rowing competition: the Philadelphia Challenge Cup, which hasn't been held since 1966.

"This is a quite amazing story," said mayor Michael Nutter on Tuesday, referring to the story of the Philadelphia Challenge Cup, a single scull competition that began in 1920 and was first won by Olympic champion John Kelly.

After 1966, the event fell dormant and the gold cup itself disappeared -- only to be discovered in the '90s in a center city antique shop.

Now, the Challenge Cup is returning as part of next year's Dad Vail Regatta, according to organizer William McNabb:

"The whole idea is to get the four best male single scullers, and then the new addition to the Cup, to get the four best women single scullers in the world, here, one day to race."

Prize money will total $35,000.

Reported by KYW City Hall bureau chief Mike Dunn.

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