Philadelphia Youth Regatta Set for Saturday, July 21st as 2012 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series Schedule Continues on the Historic Schuylkill River



Philadelphia, PA – July 20, 2012 -- The 2012 season of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series continues this Saturday, July 21st, with the annual Philadelphia Youth Regatta.

A regatta dedicated only to juniors (those under the age of 19), the Philadelphia Youth Regatta has been held for the past 25 years. 

This Saturday, there are over 580 registered competitors in over 280 boats representing 38 clubs from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

Added to this year’s Philadelphia Youth Regatta is a new event, the under-14 boys and girls 8+ races for competitors from middle schools.

“The Philadelphia Youth Regatta provides excellent competition during the summer that helps keep these scholastic rowers sharp and ready for their school teams and fall racing, and many crews take this opportunity visit and tour Philadelphia and its many historic sites,” said John Hogan, Commodore of the Schuylkill Navy.

Saturday’s Philadelphia Youth Regatta begins at 9 a.m. girls under 14 8+ final, followed by the boys’ novice 4x final at 9:05 a.m.  The last race of the day, the men’s/women’s mixed junior 8x final, is slated for 5 p.m. 

The club with the most points at the end of the day receives the prestigious “Benny” trophy, which this year will be presented to the winning club by none-other than Philadelphia’s most famous founding father, the younger, wittier Ben Franklin.

Admission to view the Philadelphia Youth Regatta on the banks of the Schuylkill River and in the Grandstand located on Kelly Drive beneath the Columbia Railroad Bridge is free of charge.  Limited parking for cars is available nearby in Fairmount Park. A full schedule for the Philadelphia Youth Regatta is available online at http://www.boathouserow.org.

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). 

Over 175 years later, the Schuylkill River hosts more regattas annually than any other river in the nation.  Last year’s debut season of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series featured 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.   This season has already featured some of the biggest competitive rowing fields, as well as some of the largest audiences, in Philadelphia’s storied tradition in the sport.

The remaining 2012 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series schedule of historic regattas:
  • Saturday, August 4: Quaker City Masters Regatta
  • Saturday, October 13: 26th Annual Navy Day Regatta
  • Saturday, October 20:  4th Annual Philadelphia Children’s Foundation Regatta
  • Saturday, October 27 & Sunday, October 28:  42nd Annual Head of the Schuylkill Regatta
  • Saturday, November 10:  9th Annual Hutchinson Cup Regatta
  • Sunday, November 11: 4th Annual Philadelphia Turn & Burn Regatta

The Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series has been recognized by the Philadelphia Sports Congress as one of the "Premier Annual Events" for the city, state and region along with the Penn Relays (April); Blue Cross Broad Street Run (May); Devon Horse Show (May); TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship (June); Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon (June); ING Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon (September); the Philadelphia Marathon (November) and Army-Navy Football.

The official host hotel of the 2012 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series is the Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia.  The official host restaurant of the 2012 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series is Buca di Beppo-Philadelphia.  Official sponsors of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series include Monarch Travel Services and Spike's Trophies. Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington and Double Tree Suites by Hilton Philadelphia West are hotel partners of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series.


Media Contact:
Jim DeLorenzo, Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations
215-564-1122
 jim@jhdenterprises.com