Philadelphia’s Historic Schuylkill Navy Receives a Special Recognition Award from the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin
Philadelphia, PA – May 12, 2011 - The Schuylkill Navy, the oldest amateur sports governing body in the United States, recently was honored with a “Special Recognition Award” from the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin.
The award noted The Schuylkill Navy’s role “in attracting thousands of visitors to the Schuylkill River annually at Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row, thereby promoting a greater awareness of improvements to the River’s water quality and the need for vigilance in assuring its continued protection.”
The award was presented on Wednesday, April 20th at the 29th annual recognition dinner program for the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin (W.R.A), hosted by the Down Town Club in Philadelphia. Pictured from left to right with the special recognition award are Alan Robinson, Vice Chairman of the Board of the W. R. A.; Clete Graham, former Commodore of The Schuylkill Navy; John Hogan, current Commodore of The Schuylkill Navy; and Dennis Palmer, Chairman of the W.R.A. Board.
The Schuylkill Navy was founded in 1858 and is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the U.S. It is comprised of the 12 rowing clubs of Philadelphia’s historic Boathouse Row along the Schuylkill River.
This year, The Schuylkill Navy has launched the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, which brings together 20 previously independent events in the first organized year-long series of rowing events of its kind in any major U.S. city. The schedule runs through late October, and features over 35,000 competitors in over 7,700 boats representing not only high schools but colleges, clubs, masters and open programs from around the country.
With three of the largest regattas in the Mid-Atlantic region on the schedule, as well as two of the nation’s oldest regattas, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series connects the rowing competitors of today to the historic home of the international rowing elite.
It is built upon a tradition that launched November 12, 1835 with the first organized regatta on the Schuylkill (a full eight years before the start of the rowing program at Harvard).
The Schuylkill River hosts more regattas annually than any other river in the nation, as well as two of the country’s oldest continuing regattas, The Schuylkill Navy Regatta (dating back to before 1860) and the Independence Day Regatta (initiated in 1880).
Those two historic events are a significant part of the 2011 schedule for the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, which also includes the second largest regatta in the nation, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. In addition, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta is also the oldest and largest high school rowing event in the world.
The Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin (WRA) was established in 1959 by representatives from industry, public and private utilities and other organizations that had wide-ranging interests in water resources and sought to ensure public participation in the management of the Delaware River and its tributaries. In 1961, the WRA successfully participated in the development of a federal-interstate compact and the creation of the Delaware River Basin Commission. Since then, the WRA has remained active in monitoring activities of the DRBC and other agencies of the four Basin states. The WRA is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy and public information organization whose stated mission is to promote sound water resources management within the Delaware River Basin. Additional information about the WRA is available at http://www.wradrb.org/index.asp.
The Schuylkill Navy’s premier, season-long series, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, continues on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and May 21, with the world’s biggest high school rowing championship, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. It is also the second largest regatta in the nation, attracting over 175 high schools from around the country competing in over 860 boats.
Sponsorship opportunities are now available for national, regional and local companies seeking access to this grand sport and its powerful demographic.
The remaining schedule for the 2011 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series includes:
• Saturday, June 18: Schuylkill Navy Regatta (clubs/open)
• Fri., July 1 to Sun., July 3: Independence Day Regatta (clubs/open)
• Saturday, July 16: Philadelphia Youth Regatta (clubs/juniors)
• Saturday, July 30: Quaker City Masters Regatta (clubs/masters)
• Saturday, September 17: Philadelphia Turn & Burn Regatta (clubs)
• Saturday, September 24: Hutchinson Cup Regatta (high school/masters)
• Saturday, October 8: Navy Day Regatta (clubs/high school/collegiate/masters)
• Sunday, October 9: Row for the Cure (clubs/high school/college)
• Sunday, October 23: Philadelphia Children’s Foundation Regatta (h.s./coll.)
• Sat., Oct. 29 & Sun. Oct. 30: Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (h.s./coll./clubs/open)
Additional information is available at http://www.boathouserow.org.
Contact:
Jim DeLorenzo
Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations
215-266-5943
jim@jhdenterprises.com
The award noted The Schuylkill Navy’s role “in attracting thousands of visitors to the Schuylkill River annually at Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row, thereby promoting a greater awareness of improvements to the River’s water quality and the need for vigilance in assuring its continued protection.”
The award was presented on Wednesday, April 20th at the 29th annual recognition dinner program for the Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin (W.R.A), hosted by the Down Town Club in Philadelphia. Pictured from left to right with the special recognition award are Alan Robinson, Vice Chairman of the Board of the W. R. A.; Clete Graham, former Commodore of The Schuylkill Navy; John Hogan, current Commodore of The Schuylkill Navy; and Dennis Palmer, Chairman of the W.R.A. Board.
The Schuylkill Navy was founded in 1858 and is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the U.S. It is comprised of the 12 rowing clubs of Philadelphia’s historic Boathouse Row along the Schuylkill River.
This year, The Schuylkill Navy has launched the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, which brings together 20 previously independent events in the first organized year-long series of rowing events of its kind in any major U.S. city. The schedule runs through late October, and features over 35,000 competitors in over 7,700 boats representing not only high schools but colleges, clubs, masters and open programs from around the country.
With three of the largest regattas in the Mid-Atlantic region on the schedule, as well as two of the nation’s oldest regattas, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series connects the rowing competitors of today to the historic home of the international rowing elite.
It is built upon a tradition that launched November 12, 1835 with the first organized regatta on the Schuylkill (a full eight years before the start of the rowing program at Harvard).
The Schuylkill River hosts more regattas annually than any other river in the nation, as well as two of the country’s oldest continuing regattas, The Schuylkill Navy Regatta (dating back to before 1860) and the Independence Day Regatta (initiated in 1880).
Those two historic events are a significant part of the 2011 schedule for the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, which also includes the second largest regatta in the nation, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. In addition, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta is also the oldest and largest high school rowing event in the world.
The Water Resources Association of the Delaware River Basin (WRA) was established in 1959 by representatives from industry, public and private utilities and other organizations that had wide-ranging interests in water resources and sought to ensure public participation in the management of the Delaware River and its tributaries. In 1961, the WRA successfully participated in the development of a federal-interstate compact and the creation of the Delaware River Basin Commission. Since then, the WRA has remained active in monitoring activities of the DRBC and other agencies of the four Basin states. The WRA is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy and public information organization whose stated mission is to promote sound water resources management within the Delaware River Basin. Additional information about the WRA is available at http://www.wradrb.org/index.asp.
The Schuylkill Navy’s premier, season-long series, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, continues on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and May 21, with the world’s biggest high school rowing championship, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. It is also the second largest regatta in the nation, attracting over 175 high schools from around the country competing in over 860 boats.
Sponsorship opportunities are now available for national, regional and local companies seeking access to this grand sport and its powerful demographic.
The remaining schedule for the 2011 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series includes:
• Saturday, June 18: Schuylkill Navy Regatta (clubs/open)
• Fri., July 1 to Sun., July 3: Independence Day Regatta (clubs/open)
• Saturday, July 16: Philadelphia Youth Regatta (clubs/juniors)
• Saturday, July 30: Quaker City Masters Regatta (clubs/masters)
• Saturday, September 17: Philadelphia Turn & Burn Regatta (clubs)
• Saturday, September 24: Hutchinson Cup Regatta (high school/masters)
• Saturday, October 8: Navy Day Regatta (clubs/high school/collegiate/masters)
• Sunday, October 9: Row for the Cure (clubs/high school/college)
• Sunday, October 23: Philadelphia Children’s Foundation Regatta (h.s./coll.)
• Sat., Oct. 29 & Sun. Oct. 30: Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (h.s./coll./clubs/open)
Additional information is available at http://www.boathouserow.org.
Contact:
Jim DeLorenzo
Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations
215-266-5943
jim@jhdenterprises.com