Major Collegiate Regatta Coming To Camden County Next Year

CHERRY HILL, NJ — The biggest event in collegiate rowing is moving to Camden County next year and will bring thousands of spectators to the area, officials said.

Cooper River Park in Pennsauken will host the 84th annual Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta next year, the county said in a news release. The park covers 346 acres through Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood, and Haddon Township.

The collegiate regatta, the biggest in the nation, is typically held at the Schuylkill River National Racecourse in Philadelphia. But, dredging along the Schuylkill might affect the competition and the regatta's board of directors voted unanimously to move it.

“Hosting the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta is a great honor for us and our internationally recognized racecourse at Cooper River Park,” said Commissioner Jeff Nash, liaison to the Camden County Parks Department. “We are looking forward to hosting the thousands of world class athletes and the more than 30,000 fans who annually participate in the biggest collegiate regatta in the nation. We can’t wait to roll out the red carpet for the rowers, staff and fans in 2023.”

Cooper River Park has an Olympic-distance straightaway and hosts a number of regattas and boat races throughout the year, including the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships and the NCAA Women's National Championship.

The regatta, once just known as the Dad Vail Regatta, is scheduled to take place on May 12-13, 2023. It was named for Harry Emerson "Dad" Vail, a beloved crew coach at the University of Wisconsin. Thomas Jefferson University added its name to the competition in 2019.