This weekend two great Philadelphia traditions will be coming together down on Boat House Row as the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta hosts the Gold Cup challenge.
For those of you unfamiliar with the competitions, the Gold Cup – which some may know as the Philadelphia Challenge Cup – is the most storied race in our city’s rich rowing history and one of the most exciting rowing competitions outside of the Olympics. It began in 1920 and pitted the best amateur male single rowers in the world against each other in a sprint race on the famed Schuylkill River course. In fact, Philadelphia’s own John B. Kelly Sr. was the first recipient!
The event disappeared in the early 1960s, only to be rediscovered by a private group of Philadelphia rowers in 2011 after a 50-year hiatus.
This year, the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta – another symbolic event in Philadelphia’s rich rowing tradition with rowers of all skill levels competing across a diverse field of events – will host the Gold Cup on Saturday, October 25. The event will span 750 meters in the middle four lanes of the Schuylkill River with world champions and Olympic medalists competing to have their names added to the trophy.
Prize money of $10,000 will be awarded to the Champion – $5,000 for second place, $2,500 for third place and $1,000 for fourth place. A Gold Cup medal will be given to each winner. The day’s events will also feature a Gold Cup Corporate Challenge in partnership with Drexel University’s rowing program. Area corporations will enter teams of employees to compete for their own place in history as Gold Cup champions.
For more information about the event, click here.
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