Hello, Mercer Parents!
With the Independence Day Regatta (IDR) coming up this weekend, we wanted to get some information to you about the event and the venue (Schuylkill River in Philadelphia). I know this is a long post, but please read the whole thing — rowing is an endurance sport for both the athletes and their parents!
All Juniors racing will take place on Friday and Saturday*. For information about the event, go to www.independencedayregatta.com. There you can find schedules, heat sheets and results links, food truck information, and a course map.
For information about how to get to the course, click HERE. Use 2200 Kelly Drive, Philadelphia, PA if using Google Maps.
When you arrive, please drop your athlete off at the Mercer boat trailer, which will be parked in the lot adjacent to the St. Joseph University (Gillin) boathouse. Mercer spectators will meet at the big blue Mercer tent toward the finish line farther down the course.
Be aware that parking is limited and that the section of Kelly Drive along the racecourse (from above the boathouse to beyond the grandstand) will be closed to traffic during the regatta. IN ORDER TO PARK AT THE COURSE, YOU MUST PRINT THIS PARKING PASS AND DISPLAY IT IN YOUR WINDSHIELD (PARKING PASS).
To help keep the athletes hydrated and fueled during racing, please send the following with your athlete to bring to the trailer if you can:
If your LAST NAME begins with A-M, please send a case of water or Gatorade to share with the team.
If your LAST NAME begins with N-Z, please send a box of Clif bars or a few servings of fruit (bag of apples, bunch of bananas) to share with the team.
PLEASE NOTE: Because the athletes have varying race schedules and times that they need to be at the course, they should each bring whatever food (including lunch) he or she would like for the day.
For parents, we will have a cooler with water, but again since race times are pretty spread out throughout the weekend, we encourage you to bring whatever you would like to eat along with you. (The IDR website also says the food trucks are back this year!) You might also want to bring a chair to relax in or a bike to ride along the path that follows the river/Kelly Drive during down time. Outside of Juniors events, there will be many familiar faces competing in the “Intermediate” (U23) category, giving us even more reasons to cheer.
*For parents of rising seniors: on Sunday there will be a College Expo, which is an opportunity for athletes wishing to continue rowing in college to meet with collegiate coaches. For information and to register, go to http://www.independencedayregatta.com/?page_id=853.
Whew! Congratulations, you made it to the finish! We will see you at the Schuylkill to cheer, “GO, MERCER!”
P.S. If you need to get in touch with any of us, please feel free to contact us at:
- Amy Lustig (267-496-9282)
- Nancy Levine (609-713-2453)
- Karoline Borup (908-380-5257)