98th Stotesbury Cup Regatta making waves on Schuylkill River, severe weather temporarily halted races
The Stotesbury Cup Regatta, a Philadelphia tradition since 1927, showcases the grit, grace, and determination of young rowers. But severe weather temporarily halted the action on the water.
"We're excited. It's a big race for us today. We trained all season," said senior Jack Wescott.
The Stotesbury Cup Regatta is a ballet of strength and rhythm on the Schuylkill River. Steeped in tradition for nearly a century.
"It's always an experience at Stotesbury. It's the largest regatta in the world and that's what makes it special. We got crews from all over," said John Musial, head coach of Villa Joseph Marie High School.
Over 4,000 athletes and more than 160 crew teams from across the country, including international teams, compete for glory.
"This is the last finale and we're very excited, you know," said Wescott. "End of a lot of our careers here."
This dance was interrupted by Mother Nature.
"I just had a boat race, so they're good, but I have a few more to go this afternoon, so will be in a delay and it could affect the schedule for tomorrow," said Musial.
Lightning shut down the competition Friday morning. Teams and spectators gathered underneath tents, waiting out the storm.
"The guys that are here waiting to race are upstairs, just staying loose, and I messaged our team that is racing later in the day to hang out at home and wait for the call to come down here," said John Fife, head coach of St. Joe's Prep.
Teams remained focused as the storms quickly passed.
"We can race anytime, any weather, we're ready to go," said Wescott.
Focused on making their mark on Stotesbury. This is such a big deal for these teams, especially for the seniors.
Organizers said the storms pushed back the competition about three hours.
