Guide To The Stotesbury Cup Regatta
Just a week after Dad Vail, it's time for another day of rowing in Philadelphia. Check out this year's Stotesbury Cup, which brings more than 5,000 high school rowers from all over the U.S. to the banks of the Schuylkill for the world's oldest and largest high school regatta.
THE BASICS
What: CBS Radio and CBSPhilly.com have partnered with the Stotesbury Cup for the 2014 event, the 88th annual competition. For two days, more than 5,300 students from 193 high schools in 140 cities will descend on the Schuylkill River to partake in 31 championship events. And – fun fact – women make up more than 50-percent of the rowers at the Stotesbury Cup.
When: Friday, May 16 & Saturday, May 17 – starting at 8 a.m. both days
Where: Like Dad Vail, the Stotesbury Cup takes place along the Schuylkill River two miles north of Boathouse Row along Kelly Drive.
SPECTATOR INFO
Schedule: Races begin on Friday at 8 a.m. with speed-based time trials and continue throughout the day with semi-final races beginning at approximately 4 p.m. On Saturday, the first of 75 scheduled races begins at 8 a.m. again, with semi-final races and finals slated for 1 p.m. The final race of the day is at 5:20 p.m. For a full schedule of events, click here.
Where to Watch: The Kelly Statue and the grandstands at the finish line are both awesome places to catch the action, but the starting line just north of the Strawberry Mansion bridge is also a good spot – simply follow the Kelly Drive walking path to find it. Spectators are urged to wear sensible shoes and be prepared to walk. Oh, and don't worry about buying a ticket – the races are free to watch. Check out the course map here.
Traffic & Parking: You know the deal: Kelly Drive will be closed, meaning traffic will be detoured through Fairmount Park, on both Friday and Saturday. Spectators, however, can park on the plateau overlooking Kelly Drive and the Schuylkill (for $15 per vehicle), and there will be shuttle bus service available to and from that location. For more info on parking and transportation, including a handy map, click here.
Directions: The regatta website offers comprehensive directions from starting points like Harrisburg, New York/New England and Washington, D.C./Baltimore.
App: This year, there's a new app for iPhone and Android. Download it here.
Still have questions? Visit the Stotesbury Cup Regatta's website, where you'll find an entire Spectators' Guide.
