Stotesbury Cup Regatta: Student athletes prepare for the largest high school regatta in the world

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The Stotesbury Cup Regatta returns to the Schuylkill River this weekend.

The regatta, which is Philadelphia’s largest sprint race, is also the largest youth regatta in the world.

Kelly Drive will be closed in the city’s Strawberry Mansion section for the event.

Detours have been in place since Thursday and will end Saturday at 8 p.m.

Until then, Kelly Drive will remain closed between the Strawberry Mansion Bridge and Fountain Green Drive in both directions.

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High schooler athletes travel to Philadelphia from all over the U.S. and Canada to compete against top-level rowing crews.

This year is the 97th annual race.

All the boats are lined up and ready to go, with nearly 1,000 boats expected to be used during the 2-day event.

The race starts at the Strawberry Mansion Bridge and then the rowers take the 1,500-meter course south toward the finish line, which is right before a big turn on the river.

The Stotesbury Cup Regatta is a sprint to the finish.

Last year, more than 4,700 high school athletes from roughly 180 schools packed the area.

The regatta is free to watch and is expected to draw a crowd of nearly 10,000 spectators.