(Pennsauken, NJ) – USRowing will hold a new national championship regatta in 2019 to cap off the spring season for younger athletes. Hosted by the South Jersey Rowing Club and the Freeholder Board, the inaugural event will be held June 1-2, 2019, on the Cooper River.
“We look forward to hosting the new championship regatta next year, and are excited to once again have the national spotlight shine on Camden County,” said Freeholder Jeff Nash, liaison to the Camden County Parks Department. “Having the ability and capacity to host events like this is an incredible benefit to Camden County, and is why the Freeholder Board has worked so hard to maintain and improve the Cooper River in recent years.”
Coming off a successful Junior B/C Challenge last weekend in Philadelphia, the USRowing U17/U15 National Championships will provide an end-of-season championship opportunity for under 15 and under 17 rowers.
“Rowing continues to grow exponentially at the youth level, and we are excited to offer a national championship-level regatta at the end of the spring season,” said USRowing Chief Domestic Officer Susan Smith. “This regatta will allow our younger athletes a chance to test themselves against their peers across the country and spur more racing opportunities for our under 15 and under 17 rowers.”
Cooper River Park has hosted numerous national rowing events including the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships, NCAA Championships, numerous USRowing National Championships, and the 2000 Olympic Trials. This July, it will host the 2018 USRowing Club National Championships.
“Rowing is growing, and we are excited to offer an opportunity to encourage growth within the sport,” said USRowing Senior Events Manager A.J. Dominique. “The long-term vision is for this event to grow into a Youth Nationals-like championship regatta for our younger athletes. By providing a season-ending, aspirational event for these athletes, our hope is to lead the development of more racing opportunities for U17 and U15 athletes at the local and regional levels, which will help organizations retain younger athletes.”
The regatta will feature races in a total of 20 boat classes including the boy’s and girl’s single sculls, double sculls, quadruple sculls, four with coxswain and eight in both age categories. The regatta will be open to all youth crews — both club and scholastic — with a select number of entries reserved for crews based on their performance in under 17 and under 15 events at USRowing’s youth regional championship regattas.
Additional details will be announced in the fall.
The Cooper River’s Olympic-distance, 2,000-meter straightaway is widely known as one of the best rowing venues in the nation, home to numerous world-class regattas and the Cooper River Boathouse. Spanning more than 346-acres through Collingswood, Haddon Township, Pennsauken and Cherry Hill, Cooper River Park has been Camden County’s gathering spot since it was created by the Works Progress Administration in 1936.
Camden County is proud that the Cooper River has emerged as a premier destination for competitive rowing, adding to the diverse family-friendly attractions in our region. Cooper River Park was named a Great Place in New Jersey by the American Planning Association-New Jersey Chapter and continues to be one of the best greenspaces of the Delaware Valley.