Dear Rowers, Parents, and Coaches,
This week, GDS Crew will participate in the Stotesbury Cup Regatta on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, the world’s oldest and largest high school rowing competition.
Schools come from all over North America to compete in 30 different events; 5,000 athletes (from 186 schools) and 10,000 spectators line the river to watch two days of rowing. The time trial races are held on Friday and qualifying boats move on to semi-finals and finals on Saturday. This is a very competitive field and while GDS crews have performed well over the years, our small program has never qualified for Saturday racing.
Parents, family members, and friends are encouraged to join our team for Friday racing at Stotesbury. It is a great way to cap the season and an opportunity to cheer on and support our rowers and coaches, and is also a lot of fun.
THURSDAY, MAY 15:
GDS rowers will travel to Philadelphia by bus, leaving from school at 10:45 AM. The buses will go directly to the race site, meet the boats to unload and rig, and practice on the water. After practice, rowers will be delivered to the hotel to check in; coaches and coxswains return to the river for their meeting with regatta officials in the late afternoon.
The team and coaches are staying at the Embassy Suites, Center City (details below). Parents who have reserved rooms through the team are staying at the adjacent Windsor Suites (details below). Rowers’ room assignments are made by the team captains.
The team, coaches, and parents meet for dinner at 7:00 PM at TGIFriday’s in the Embassy Suites.
FRIDAY, MAY 16:
Breakfast is provided for the team and coaches at Embassy Suites. Parents at Windsor Suites may purchase breakfast in the hotel at Con Murphy’s Irish Pub from 6:30-10 AM or take advantage of the fully equipped kitchens in the rooms.
The team will travel by bus to the racing site about 6:45 AM. Parents who wish to get an early start may ride the team bus. Alternatively, parents can take taxis to the southern end of the regatta site along Kelly Drive and then walk north. Parking is very limited close to the river, but there is remote parking so bring comfortable shoes for walking (there is also a parking shuttle bus from the lots to the riverside). A map of the regatta site is available here.
There is a grandstand near the finish line, but GDS will also have a tent to the north of that. The tent is directly on the river bank and provides a good view of the races; food and drink will be available for the team and visitors throughout the day. We will be in Tent 11 but look for the GDS Crew banners.
GDS will be racing three boats on Friday —
- Boys Junior 8 at 11:15 AM
- Boys Senior 4 at 2:48 PM
- Girls Senior 4 at 3:10 PM
Following the completion of racing, the team will return to the hotel by bus and parents will pack up all food and supplies.
The team, coaches, and parents meet for dinner on Friday at 7:30 PM at Asia on the Parkway in the Windsor Suites.
SATURDAY, MAY 17:
The team traditionally returns to the regatta after an early breakfast to watch some of the racing before returning to Washington by bus. Team members are required to travel to and from Philadelphia on the team bus and will stop at Thompson Boat Center to unload and de-rig the boats before returning to GDS. As always, please be in touch with your rower for more specific time information during the afternoon.
MONEY: The rowers’ fee covers all lodging, transportation, and meals except lunch on Thursday and Saturday. Rowers should bring money for lunch on those two days as well as for purchasing t-shirts and souvenirs at the regatta. There will be numerous booths selling rowing-related shirts, jewelry, and art.
Parents who have booked their rooms through the crew club have already paid for Thursday and Friday dinners. Other parents are welcome to join the group for dinner and those who have not yet made arrangements to do so should email hoppercrew@hoppercrew.com immediately to be included in the reservation and make arrangements for payment.
HOTEL AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:
- Team and Coaches
Embassy Suites Philadelphia Center City
1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 561-8817
- Parents
Windsor Suites
1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 981-5678
Traveling to Philadelphia can take as little as 2.5 hours by car or less via Amtrak train. Cars can be parked either at the hotel or nearer the racecourse site for a fee, as above.
Fear the Hopper on the Schuylkill!
Keven Vance
2013-2014 GDS Crew Club President