Hundreds of athletes brave soggy weather for the 85th Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta
PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Athletes from around the country are competing in the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta this weekend. The storied tradition is back in South Jersey for the 85th anniversary starting Friday.
Cold rain and wind marked day one of the competition, but the less-than-ideal weather didn't put a damper on the excitement around the tradition.
"It's wet, it's cold but it's been a great experience. Big regattas are always really fun," Robert Hsu, a rower with Temple University, said.
He is one of 1,700 athletes from nearly 70 teams at the regatta.
"We're out there in February, so this is nothing new. Schuylkill gets pretty terrible sometimes. Lot of wind, lot of debris," Hsu said.
Hsu's parents came to cheer him on from Washington D.C.
"These athletes all of them work so hard and I'm just amazed that they can be so good at this and also be students at the same time," Richard Hsu, Robert Hsu's dad, said.
On the shoreline, many were bundled up watching the events. Friday morning saw time trials, followed by semi-finals in the afternoon.
"It is contagious, the energy. It's a volunteer-run regatta," Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta Volunteer Director Tricia Winton said.
More than 200 volunteers help run the two-day event.
"We love being in New Jersey. This community has really embraced us," Winton said.
This is the second year in a row the Jefferson Dad Vail is staged on the Cooper River. The hosting committee notes construction on the Schuylkill is the reason why.
"The economic impact this event has, all our hotels are filled, all our restaurants are filled. It's just foot traffic — it's great," Camden County Commissioner Al Dyer said.
Dyer estimates the regatta will generate $15-$20 million for the area. He hopes the event will be back again next year.
"I think the partnership is great and I know there's probably talks about that but we would love to have it here," Dyer said.
On Thursday, Kirsten Ledwith Morasco, the president of the organizing committee said on the matter, "We have not made any decisions moving forward. We do love being here. Cooper has been a wonderful venue. Camden County has been inviting and supportive of the Jefferson Dad Vail. We make our decision about where we're going to be after we've completed the current regatta, so sometime in June or July."
