By John Ostapkovich

PENNSAUKEN, NJ (CBS) - Over the next few days, college rowers will be racing along a river in our area, and it’s not the Schuylkill.

Twenty-nine teams with more than 2,000 athletes are practicing today for tomorrow’s first heats of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association championships on the Cooper River.

“Regattas have been run here since the mid-70′s.  Probably 10 years ago, they started to gain momentum and got a few more regattas,” Camden County boathouse manager Jamie Stack says they’re pretty much maxed out at 12 a year, including one that was poached from the more famous river course in Fairmount Park, which has history and tradition going for it and a dogleg going against.

“All the races there are good-quality, top-notch-run regattas so people are aware of the bend and that’s the only issue. Outside of that, everyone loves racing in Philadelphia.”

Stack says any place along the river is good to view the IRA meet, but maybe the jumbotron at the finish line sweetens the deal there.