What to know about this week’s Dad Vail Regatta on the Cooper River

The Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, the largest college rowing event in the country, is back for its 86th installment, and will be held at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken on Friday and Saturday for the third straight year.

In 2023, the Dad Vail moved venues for the first time since 1953. The regatta had a longstanding tradition of being held along the Schuylkill. Dad Vail president Kirsten Morasco and the committee decided after last year’s regatta that they would keep it on the Cooper River because of the construction on the Schuylkill and the dredging project, which also will even the racing lanes.

“There is still significant construction going on,” Morasco said. “The retaining wall that sits, starting at the grandstands and leading toward that first parking lot on Kelly Drive, the wall is torn up, and there’s construction equipment. … When we hold the Dad Vail, it’s so large, we need all the space we can get. We need the grandstands to be operational. We need to use that grassy space for our teams, so having the regatta on the Schuylkill, while this construction continues, is very challenging. That kind of impacted our decision.”

» READ MORE: Why did Dad Vail choose the Cooper River again for 2024? The regatta’s top organizer explains.

Planning the Dad Vail is a yearlong process, and the committee makes the decision on where it will be held for the next year in June or July. Morasco could not confirm whether the event will return to the Schuylkill in the near future.

“We’re going to make this decision year to year,” she said. “Is it possible? Sure, it’s possible for us to be back on the Schuylkill, whether it’ll be next year or the coming years.”

The transition to the Cooper River has been seamless, Morasco said, adding that Camden County officials and the mayor have been supportive of the event and welcomed them hospitably.

“The river itself is beautiful. The course itself is great,” she said. “The advantage of the Cooper River course is [that] it’s straight, whereas on the Schuylkill, we have a bend in the course. It’s also easy to get around the area, it’s got great parking, so, really, from the standpoint of the venue, it really is a great place for us.”

Ahead of Friday’s first race day, here’s what to know about the event, the schools participating, and how to watch:

The free event begins at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and ends at about 5 p.m. each day.

Friday’s events begin with time trials. The top 12 times, depending on the number of entries, move on to the semifinals, which will begin in the afternoon. Saturday, the final race day, will include the top six times from the semifinal races.

This year, there are 34 rowing events scheduled. The women’s and men’s varsity eight races are the headliners and the last scheduled event on both days.

Take a look at the full schedule here.

Approximately 60 schools from the United States and Canada will take part in the event. There are about 300 entries, and more than 1,000 athletes will be competing.

Some of the local schools participating include Drexel, whose men’s varsity eight won its third straight championship last year, La Salle, Temple, St. Joseph’s, Delaware, Villanova, Jefferson, Bryn Mawr College, and Haverford College.

The event with the most entries is the men’s varsity double sculls and the women’s freshman/novice four with coxswain. Both have 17 boats slated to race.

There will be free parking for spectators. The recommended parking lot is on the corner of Cuthbert Boulevard and North Park Drive. The lot near the Camden County boathouse will be designated for officials, but parking also can be found on the street along Park Drive. Check out the map above for starting and finish line locations, in addition to food and beverage vendors and restrooms.

The event will be streamed on the Dad Vail website, and fans can stay up-to-date on Regatta Central to find race results, schools participating, and more.