Good afternoon, Parents:
This Sunday, October 30th is the Head of the Schuykill Regatta in Philadelphia, the first regatta for some of our novice rowers! The Coaches have already posted information and line-ups, but this is some extra information for Mercer Families.
For Parents of Athletes who are Attending:
The first Regatta is a great experience. The two most important things you can do is (1) have your athletes at the Three Angels Docks Area ON TIME, which is 2 HOURS BEFORE RACE TIME; and (2) make sure your athletes are well-fed and dressed appropriately, in uniform and appropriate outerwear, and have snacks and water.
The website for the Regatta is www.hosr.org. On it you can find course maps, parking information, start times, etc… This is a Head race, which means boats will be starting staggered and one at a time, rather than in heats of 6. You can (more or less) figure out when to expect the Mercer boats once the bow numbers have been released. Race 24A Men’s Novice 8+ will start at 10:35am; race 24B Women’s Novice 8+ will start at 10:50.
Another useful website for general regatta information, such as start lists, other club entries, and results is www.regattacentral.com.
Athletes need to be dropped off at the trailer, which is located at The Angels Docks, the central hub which is about a mile north of Boathouse Row. The trailers are NOT at Boathouse Row, which is the end of the course. This is a big regatta, and they will have Kelly Drive closed to all vehicles except coaches and event staff. This means you cannot drive in to drop your kid off. Check the website out for parking and shuttle information – there is a shuttle that runs between parking lots and the course, and please PLEASE plan accordingly. Arrival time is really important.
Further up on Kelly Drive, between the Grandstand and a small parking lot, Mercer will have a tent set up for parents. Look for us! We will have coffee and snacks, and are excited to cheer on the rowers! The finish line is further down closer to Boathouse Row, but this weekend is a good time to figure out where Mercer usually meets.
For Parents of Athletes who are Cheering from Afar:
Results will post on www.herenow.com, or www.regattacentral.com, so you can see how the team is doing. We will do our best to update onsite as well.
Go, Mercer!