In the early 1930's "Rusty" Callow, rowing coach at the University of Pennsylvania, furnished the idea of creating an open regatta open to any college or university to help grow the sport of rowing for colleges that were too small for the "big time" or were looking to create a rowing program.

In 1934 he added an incentive to the first regatta to be staged in Philadelphia by adding a trophy that would be named after Harry "Dad Vail" Emerson. Since that time, "Dad Vail" has been synonymous with rowing in Philadelphia. 

Emerson, born in Gagtown, New Brunswick, Canada, and a champion professionalsingle sculler, became the longtime coach of the University of Wisconsin. Emerson promoted the idea of "open" competition. So the originating committee, in his honor, tabbed the first Dad Vail race as an open regatta. There are no restrictions as to who can enter as long as the rowers are full time students at a college or university. This has been the case for every Dad Vail Regatta, up to and including the 2012 Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta. 

In the early 1970's longtime Western Ontario University coach Al Morrow quickly saw the value of bringing his school down to Philadelphia to compete in a regatta that featured competitive rowing. 

Shortly after their arrival, Western Ontario University made a name for themselves by becoming the first Canadian School to medal by winning the first of six gold medals Women's Varsity Heavyweight Eight in 1977. 

Since that first trip to the Dad Vail Regatta, current Western Ontario coach Daniel Bechard holds the prestigious rowing event in very high regard. Bechard has been involved with the program as an athlete and coach since 1999 before being named head coach in 2010 following Al Morrow. 

"It's very simple," Bechard said. "The Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta is the oldest and most prestigious collegiate event in North America with the most competition. We only invest the time, effort and resources if the athletes are committed to competing at their highest possible level. We make sure our crews are well equipped to handle the competition and we would not make the trip if we didn't truly believe we could place highly. If we do this, we not only honor the event but we honor the legacy left by our alumni." 

In addition to their success in the Women's Varsity Heavyweight Eight, Western Ontario has also won four gold medals in the Women's Varsity Heavyweight Four, three gold medals in the Men's Varsity Lightweight Eight and one gold medal in the Men's Varsity Heavyweight Four. 

When this year's Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta launches on Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12, Western Ontario will be bringing a Women's Varsity Heavyweight Eight, a Women's Varsity Lightweight Four, a Men's Varsity Heavyweight Four and a Freshman Novice Heavyweight Four who will once again be setting their sights on the winner's dock. 

Bechard credits the team's high level of their performance to his assistant coaches, Bob Ward (Men's and Women's Heavyweight), Matt Waddell (Men's and Women's Lightweight) Chris McNully (Men) and Andrew Jago (Freshmen Men's Novice). "They are the real reason why our crews are as talented as they are. They are true experts in the sport and fantastic people to work with." 

In addition to Western Ontario's success, other Canadian schools to experience early success were University of Toronto, University of British Columbia and McGill University. 

Based on the success by their predecessors, Brock University Men's and Women's rowing coach Peter Somerwil started bringing his crews down to Philadelphia in 2007. 

Knowing the competition level was very high it took Somerwil four years to reach the pinnacle when Brock University, from St. Catharines, Ontario became the first Canadian School to win the gold medal in the Men's Varsity Heavyweight Eight. 

"It was a great personal victory for the athletes in the crew to do something no other Canadian crew had ever done before," said Somerwil, who was named head coach in the fall of 2004. "As a program it is certainly one of the highlights in the time I have been the coach and to this day there is a banner with a picture of that crew hanging in our boathouse." 

Due to the change in the selection process for the Under 23 National teams this year, Brock University will be bringing a smaller group to this year's Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta. "

I look forward to coming and competing in Philadelphia every year because of the many talented and dedicated volunteers that help with the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta," Somerwil said. "Coming from St. Catharines, another rowing city that puts on many large regattas with the same sort of 'get the job done and do it well' attitude of volunteers I understand and appreciate the effort being put in by so many people some for a life time." 

Another school that has made trips down to Philadelphia throughout the years has been Trent University who will be returning for the first time in recent memory. 

Armed with a young program, new head coach Jacqui Beattie is very much looking forward to her trip from Peterborough, Ontario to the City of Brotherly Love. 

Beattie said, "We have such a young team that getting race experience at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta will be invaluable."

Eddie Levin ed.levin@dadvail.org  

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About the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta

The Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta is the largest collegiate regatta in North America including almost 120 colleges and universities from the United States and Canada. It began in 1934 in Philadelphia and is now held annually since 1953 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the Schuylkill River. Thousands of student athletes and spectators will visit the City of Philadelphia during the weekend of the second Saturday in May for the event.

About Title Sponsor-Aberdeen Asset Management

Aberdeen Asset Management Inc is the wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of Aberdeen Asset Management PLC, a global investment management group which is headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, and manages more than $270 billion of assets for both institutions and private individuals (as of Dec. 31, 2011). Philadelphia is home to the U.S. equity and fixed income investment management teams, as well as U.S. client servicing, consultant relations, business development and other operational staff: more than 200 employees in total. As of December 31, 2011 Aberdeen services $43.5 billion on behalf of North American and international clients. For more information, visit www.aberdeen-asset.us Globally, Aberdeen has a long standing association with university rowing competitions having sponsored the Oxford v Cambridge University Boat Race in the UK from 1999 - 2005. The company also continues to support the Aberdeen Universities Boat Race in Aberdeen, Scotland, which takes place every February. Latterly Aberdeen became the title sponsor of the Internationally acclaimed sailing regatta, Cowes Week until 2015, which takes place annually on the South Coast of England, UK.