• Home
• Sports

Once a year, John Bancheri gets to bring his men's and women's college rowing teams to Philadelphia. For the Dad Vail Regatta next May, Bancheri even booked hotel rooms for an extra night so he could take his teams to Atlantic City for a tour of where he grew up.

He'd first take them to South Street in Philadelphia, introduce them to Philly cheesesteaks and then bring them to the White House in Atlantic City for sandwiches.

But on Tuesday, Bancheri, the head coach at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, canceled the hotel reservations, and in essence, the plans.

In a stunning move to the rowing community, the Dad Vail Regatta is moving from its longtime home on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia about 120 miles northeast to Rumson, a Monmouth County town in northern New Jersey.

Due to the economy and a current budget deficit, the city of Philadelphia was unable to fully support the event, which has been held there since 1953 but can cost up to a $500,000 per year.

"It's a spectacularly beautiful area," said Dan Edwards, chair of the Rumson Dad Vail organizing committee.

"It's on a peninsula surrounded by two rivers. It's a remarkable place with a long straightaway with no flooding, no bridges and no waterfalls to race through. I think it'll be a very, very festive atmosphere because people are very charged up about it."

Edwards said $250,000 was contributed to bring the event to Rumson. The money, Edwards said, came from private donations and corporate sponsors.

The Dad Vail was held in Rumson once before in 1939. Crews in the 2010 race will compete on the Navesink River.

Luke Butler, deputy press secretary for Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, said city officials went into a meeting with Dad Vail organizers Friday with the intention of trying to find a way to keep the regatta on the Schuylkill. But, Butler said, they were never given the opportunity and instead were told the event would be moving to Rumson.

Jack Galloway, chairman of the Dad Vail Regatta organizing committee, said multiple letters were sent to the city in October addressing the urgency of the financial concerns - including a loss of 60 percent of corporate sponsorship for the event. Galloway said the earliest time Philadelphia city officials could meet was Nov. 13. When that date came, Rumson had offered the $250,000 to help bring the non-profit regatta to Monmouth County.

"There was an outreach by way of written communication to these folks," said Harry Stinger, Dad Vail spokesman. "So this was not a last-minute surprise of Dad Vail saying we're going to move and 'Sorry fellas.' It wasn't that at all."

For now, the regatta is in Rumson only for 2010. But that could change based on the event's success on May 7 and 8.

The Dad Vail is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States. More than 120 teams competed last May.

The immediate feeling from rowers and coaches was one of shock. Many had no idea until last week that there was even a possibility the Dad Vail could be moved. When it became official, there was unquestioned confusion and disappointment.

"I didn't even think that was something that would happen," said Will Masters, a Mainland Regional High School graduate who rows for Drexel University. "I didn't realize that rowing would be affected by the economy. I didn't think that was possible."

The move affects Philadelphia-area teams because of the added expenses. With the Dad Vail in their backyard, teams didn't have to deal with travel, hotel and food expenses. For teams outside of Philadelphia, the move means a change from tradition.

"When you go to the race (on the Schuylkill), the whole river bank is loaded with teams and vendors and so many different people to meet," said junior Dylan Kosten, a Holy Spirit High School graduate who rows for Jacksonville University. "I'm kind of worried that this new place isn't going to have the aura that is the Dad Vail."

Bancheri, the Grand Valley coach who used to row for Atlantic City, had mixed emotions. He loves being back in Philadelphia each year but said his first allegiance is to the actual regatta.

"Our kids are all really disappointed," Bancheri said. "They love Philly, the fanfare, the city, the whole nine yards. But they're athletes and they want to race. The tradition and luster of the Super Bowl doesn't change because you switch from city to city. It's not going to be like the Miss America pageant where just because it moved to Las Vegas it got killed. This is a storied event where people train months in advance."

Teams from every part of the country come to compete in the Dad Vail, viewed by some as the most important race of the year. Paul Savell, Drexel's coach and a former Holy Spirt coach and rower, called it a "big loss for the Philadelphia area."

"The Schuylkill's known as one of the best sites in the country," Savell said. "It's the biggest collegiate regatta in the world. Where do you want to have it? Philadelphia or Rumson? The Dad Vail goes with Philadelphia. It's bigger than just the sport. You get thousands and thousands of people coming down to see this event each year."

Galloway believes that being close to New York is an attraction for teams and said he hopes Rutgers thinks about once again competing in the Dad Vail.

Jim Mitchell coaches Jacksonville and has nine Press-area rowers on his team. Before the Dad Vail, he would bring his team to Lake Lenape in Mays Landing to train. For some of the local rowers, it's the only time all season they get a chance to be home and see family.

"I was shocked," Mitchell said. "It's been an institution of Philadelphia and the rowing world especially. We love coming to Philadelphia to race. It's such an historic place for rowing."

Now, the question many coaches and rowers are asking is whether the Dad Vail's mystique and tradition will still exist without the Philadelphia backdrop and atmosphere.

"I loved the Dad Vail in Philly," Bancheri said. "I guess I'll learn to love it in Rumson, N.J. just as much."

Contact Andrew Zuckerman:

609-272-7190

AZuckerman@pressofac.com

No comments have been posted. Be the first poster!

PressofAtlanticCity.com offers everyone the opportunity to comment on published stories. However, it is impractical for editors to screen all comments.
If you believe a comment is offensive, please click on the abuse-reporting link and your objection will be considered by an editor. We encourage participants to use their real names, but inoffensive screen names are acceptable. Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them.
Please post responsibly. Do not post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy.
Be polite. Don’t hate. Users who don’t play by the rules may be blocked from participating.

View our full terms of service and privacy agreement

Click here to report a comment as abusive.

You must login to post a new comment