Good afternoon, Mercer Parents,
Below you will find some additional information about tomorrow’s regatta:
Drop-off/Pick-up: The Head of the Schuylkill is technically an away regatta, but parents and athletes are required to get themselves to the course. Please have the athletes at the trailer TWO HOURS before the scheduled race time. The trailer is located at Trailer Lot 4, which is marked on the map: http://hosr.org/site-map/
Parking/Spectator Information: Philadelphia is closing down Kelly Drive for this regatta. Therefore, you will need to adjust your timing to allow for extra traffic for drop off and pick up. There is parking up the hill from the course, and there will be a shuttle running back and forth, stopping at Lot 4 where the Mercer trailer is located. Parents can refer to the Parents’ FB page for additional information about where to watch, but there is a covered grandstand farther down the course from the drop off site. The trailer zone is for coaches and athletes only, so please respect that space and cheer farther down the course.
Racing: This is a head race. That means the boats are coming down the course one at a time, with about 15 seconds separating them, rather than spread across in lanes. The racing schedule with bow numbers will be posted on the Parents’ FB page, so you will know which boats to look for. Once the racing is over, please wait until you hear from your athlete before you pick him/her up. The athletes will need to de-rig the boats and load them back on the trailer before they are allowed to leave, which does take some time. The coaches ask that you not hang around the trailers while the athletes are working, but rather wait until you hear from them.
Miscellaneous: The Head of the Schuylkill is a large regatta, with many clubs competing in events throughout the day. There will be a lot of exciting racing, but it will also be very crowded. Please pack some food, water, and extra gear for your athletes! There are some vendors at the course, but it’s best to come prepared.
Good luck to all the rowers tomorrow!