Drexel opens defense of Dad Vail Regatta title with strong showing in Day 1

Drexel coach Paul Savell referred to it as “one of the greatest regattas in our country.”

For 68 programs, eight of them from the Philadelphia region, the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta is the ultimate in collegiate rowing. Day one of this year’s two-day event installment was Friday, with the Dragons entering as the reigning champions in the men’s and women’s varsity eight.

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Semifinals and finals will continue Saturday at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken after the regatta was moved there to accommodate an ongoing dredging project in the Schuylkill.

Savell knows the effect the regatta, now in its 84th running, has on his rowers. It’s why he keeps a “Countdown to Dad Vail” ticker to keep motivation high all season as his teams look to make a splash again.

“We want to hit our peak for this race, so we line up our training for the year to be successful at the Dad Vail,” Savell said. “The attention that it gets makes it so unique. Not only this, but the high level of competition on display makes it such a special event.”

Judging by the results, it was a day the Dragons didn’t take lightly, qualifying for the second day with victories in the men’s freshman novice eight (5 minutes, 51.43 seconds) and the men’s 3V eight (5:40.1) and a dominant early defense of its 2022 title in the men’s varsity eight (5:25.67).

The importance of the Dad Vail isn’t lost on senior Roman Smigiel, a Flourtown native who also rowed at La Salle College High School.

“It’s not just another race,” he said. “Especially here in Philly, it’s rooted in the city, [and] lots of people know about this race from outside of the rowing community. This is really the pinnacle of our season, everything leads up to this. We spend a lot of time outdoor and indoor training, and using our races during the season to prepare mentally and physically for this.”

A significant benefit to not just Drexel but other local schools is that the regatta didn’t stray far from its usual site on the Schuylkill.

“It’s such an awesome experience to share my love of the sport with people I love,” Smigiel said. “It adds another level to the race, and it becomes more enjoyable and meaningful. When we make it to the finish line and hear all the cheers and support, that pushes us on, and we benefit much as a team from the support.”

Savell said his rowers benefit from the level of attention the Dad Vail attracts. “A ton of alumni come out and have a great time, along with our athletic director, Maisha Kelly, and Drexel’s president, John Fry,” he said. “The atmosphere is amazing.”

Coming in as the reigning team champion, Drexel may face higher expectations this year.

“This season is different because we swept last year at Dad Vail,” Smigiel said. “We have a high standard to hit, which has changed my mindset from being the underdogs to winning being our expectation.”

Boats from Temple, La Salle, Villanova, Bryn Mawr, and a number of other local programs qualified for the finals on Saturday in a variety of races. Among those who finished first in their opening races were the Temple JV 4+ team (6:25.59) and its JV men’s eight (5:38.16).

A complete rundown of the day’s results is at dadvail.org.

Kerith Gabriel contributed to this article.