The Stotesbury Cup Regatta will have 822 entries. Here’s what to know about the oldest high school rowing event

The Stotesbury Cup Regatta, the largest and oldest high school rowing event in the world, returns to the Schuylkill for the 98th edition this weekend.

This year’s event features 822 entries from 166 schools across the United States and Canada. It begins with time trials on Friday morning. Semifinals will start in the afternoon and the event ends on Saturday, with finals beginning at noon. The semifinals determine the six boats that will compete in each final.

As of now, the weather, which calls for scattered rain and chances of thunderstorms, has not impacted the schedule. Rain doesn’t harm the rowers, but the water level can impact the flow of the river and the overall race.

Margaret Meigs, co-director of the Stotesbury Cup, said it will be a game-time decision. The other obstacle in planning this year’s regatta is working around the restoration of the sea wall on the Schuylkill in dredging, which affects the surrounding area.

“There are fences up where the work has been going on,” Meigs said. “Our viewing stands are a little bit more limited because of that work, and the area where we have a lot of the festival and vendor activities has been limited because of that work.”

The regatta will also feature a Q&A session on Saturday with Paralympic rower Oksana Masters along with Justin Boatner, an advocate for athletes with disabilities who is based in Virginia.

» READ MORE: Stotesbury Cup Regatta continues to create memories while celebrating the rowing community

Last year, the St. Joseph’s Prep crew swept the competition by finishing with the most medals for the second straight year to win the overall crown.

“It’s just wonderful to observe it,” Meigs said. “Rowing is such a fantastic sport. It changes lives. It changed the life of my late husband [Paul Laskow]. He was a Stotesbury champion. … I’m really looking forward to seeing all these young athletes gather. They look forward to this all year."

Here’s what to know about some of the races and which schools are competing.

The two-day regatta will begin at 8 a.m. Friday and end at 5:30 p.m. It will pick up again at 8 a.m. Saturday, with the final race slated for 5:15 p.m. The event is free.

The event is held on the Schuylkill along Kelly Drive, with the main gathering centered at Gillin Boathouse. Starting Thursday, only regatta-related traffic will be allowed between Strawberry Mansion Bridge and Fountain Green Drive.

All cars are intended to be parked at an off-site lot. There are a few options available east of the river. Shuttle buses will run throughout the course. Standard parking ranges from $20 to $25.

The top 12 times from the senior four and eight boats will advance to three semifinals.

For all other events with more than 12 entries, the top 12 advance to two semifinals. For events with more than 29 entries, the top 18 advance to three semifinals.

The boys’ junior four race has the most entries with 55. Harriton High School, Holy Ghost Prep, Radnor High School, and Unionville High School will be among the participants.

A handful of local boats are competing in the regatta.

The boys’ senior eight includes La Salle College High School and St. Joe’s Prep, while Haddonfield High and Mount St. Joseph Academy are among those representing the area in the girls’ varsity eight.

The girls’ senior four race, which has 51 entries, will feature Archbishop Carroll, Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, and Episcopal Academy, among others. The boys’ senior four race has 52 entries. Father Judge, the Haverford School, and the Hill School are among the teams racing.

Both days of the event will be streamed on the Stotesbury website. The results can also be found on Regatta Central.