May 7, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle University Rowing will be racing four boats this weekend in the 70th Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River, the largest regatta held in the United States, with more than 100 colleges and universities competing from the US and Canada.

The regatta starts Friday morning, May 9 at 7:00 AM with the Men's Varsity 4 preliminary races and will conclude Saturday evening, around 5:00 PM with the 169th race of the weekend - the Men's Varsity 8 Final.

Also, on Friday night at a reception at Lloyd Hall, members of the 1958 La Salle College Men's Varsity 8 will be honored. Those men, who are Tony McCloskey, Robert Morro, Jim Garvin, Romeo Boyd, Bob Suter, Harry Todd, Tom Henry, Jim Cosgrove, and Joe McNeill, won the sixth Men's Varsity 8 Dad Vail Championship for La Salle in an eight-year span. 

They will also participate in a ceremonial row around lunchtime on Saturday and will be awarded medals on the dock afterwards.

Fifty years ago, La Salle actually pulled off a double win, as the Men's Freshman 8 also rowed to a Dad Vail Championship. Those men were George Carroll, Don Kerper, Jerry Hipp, Joe Maimona, Larry Maier, John Mesunas, Robert Donovan, and Craig O'Brien and are the only La Salle Freshman boat to win gold in the Dad Vails.

Below is the four boats La Salle will be racing, with their opening round event number and starting time (approximate). Their finish will determine if they advance and to which event.

Also, for those interested, La Salle will have a tent on the river for "Friends of Crew" and all are invited to stop by for as long as they would like.

For more information on the 2008 Dad Vail Regatta, which includes a complete schedule and up-to-race results, click here.