Rumson, NJ

In a surprising turn of events the Dad Vail Regatta, previously announced to be moving to the Navesink River in May 2010, is actually now going to stay put in Philly.

J. R. Hanna, president of the Dad Vail Regatta organization issued a statement: "After carefully evaluating all of the factors related to optimizing the success of staging the year 2010 Dad Vail Regatta at which attendance is expected to exceed 3,500 rowers, and after serious deliberation taking into consideration the many voices of Dad Vail stakeholders near and far, an official, final decision has been made to stage the year 2010 Regatta on the Schuylkill River in the City of Philadelphia."

Although the Rumson borough council tentatively agreed to host the Dad Vail Regatta, which made the rowing competition's departure from Philadelphia one step closer to becoming official, it never quite got there.

"Certainly, it is a disappointment," Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl was quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I'm frankly shocked at the turn of events."

According to that newspaper, despite the surprise, Ekdahl said Rumson would not sue for breach of contract. "From a technical standpoint, we only had a handshake," he said. "We're not litigious. There's no way this is going near a courtroom.

UPDATE: PHILADELPHIA DID NOT TAKE THE NEWS LIGHTLY THAT THEY WERE GOING TO LOSE THE REGATTA... AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE WON IT BACK. SEE RELATED UPDATED POST.

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The Dad Vail Regatta, the biggest U.S. collegiate crew event, announced Tuesday it is moving from Philadelphia to Rumson, N.J. It is expected to bring thousands of athletes and visitors to the area.

The headquarters will remain in Philadelphia but at least next year, the event will be held on the Navesink River, 90 miles from the Dad Vail's home of 56 years.

According to organizers, the Dad Vail had been caught in a squeeze between rising costs in Philadelphia and reduced corporate sponsorship. Rumson guaranteed $250,000 in sponsorship support for the event.

The first Dad Vail race was held in Rumson back in the 1930s. Last year the two-day event attracted 122 schools and typically draws about 30,000 to 35,000 spectators. A decision on 2011 will not be made until after next year's race.

Next year's Dad Vail Regatta will take place on May 7 & 8, 2010.

The Dad Vail is named after Harry Emerson "Dad" Vail, a longtime University of Wisconsin rowing coach who died in 1928. The first regatta was held on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in 1934 and the location rotated until 1953, when it moved to the city near the famed Boathouse Row.

Today's Philadelphia Daily News announced that the Dad Vail Regatta will be hosted this coming May in Rumson, a change of venue after 56 years on Philadelphia's Schuykill River.

The Dad Vail Regatta is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States, with over 100 colleges and universities from the U.S. and Canada. The Dad Vail was held in Rumson one year in the 1930s. Held in Philadelphia since 1953, the two-day event attracted 122 schools last year and draws about 30,000 to 45,000 spectators.

Philadelphia's organizers said city costs have doubled and corporate donations have dipped, and Rumson offered to contribute $250,000 to next year's race. Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl says officials are thrilled and think the event will benefit Rumson and other towns along the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.

From the announcement:

"Rumson, New Jersey, representatives approached us after learning that we have a need to restore financial reserves and made a very compelling proposal to host the event in 2010," Dad Vail President Jim Hanna said in the release. "Their support will preclude the need for large increases in registration fees to participating crews while continuing to benefit the Philadelphia community rowing programs."

Mayor Ekdahl said hosting the event "gives us and the sport instant credibility in the Two River area."

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High and the borough's recreation department launched the Rumson Fair Haven Crew program three years ago, although the team is entirely self-supporting, receiving no funding from the RFH school budget. For more information on Rumson Fair Haven Crew, visit http://www.rfhcrew.com

Please join us on May 7^th and 8^th 2010 for the 72^nd Dad Vail Regatta. Watch as information becomes available on the Dad Vail Regatta.

Is your seasonal pride showing? Does your front yard have a special Halloween, Thanksgiving or Harvest display? Then go get your digital cameras and enter Resources Real Estate's inaugural Peninsula Harvest Home Decorating contest. Tell them Thomas McCormack sent you!

Beginning this weekend, residents of Peninsula towns including Rumson, Fair Haven, and Little Silver are invited to submit photographs of their exterior autumnal decorations showcasing the creative, picturesque, and whimsical tastes of homeowners residing between the two rivers.

All Halloween, Thanksgiving, and fall house decorations will be considered.

As part of their community outreach program Sharing Resources, Resources Real Estate will donate a Thanksgiving pie for every home submitted to the contest to Lunch Break in Red Bank and will make a monetary donation to the firehouse of the winning home's town.

Entries can be submitted by uploading photos here or by depositing snapshots in the wall mailbox at the agency's 112 River Road address. Submissions can be made by the homeowner or nominated by another party such as a friend or neighbor.

Voting will take place in person as well as online and the winning homeowner will receive an exquisite floral table arrangement for their Thanksgiving setting to accompany their seasonal style.

Resources Real Estate owner Carolynn Diakon said, "We hope this contest will inspire homeowners to take advantage of the beautiful, seasonal resources our area has to offer in an effort to complement the exceptional architectural detail of Peninsula towns."

Diakon hopes the contest will become an annual event - one in which area residents will anticipate and plan for each year during the months leading up to and including autumn.

Every Monday through Friday, Lunch Break serves over 2,500 free hot meals each month at its location on 121 Drs. Parker Boulevard with another 400 meals being delivered to home bound seniors. The Pantry also provides groceries to those who need help and more than 500 children receive Christmas gifts. Social, medical and legal services are available onsite and clothing in good repair is handed out once each month.

Peninsula Harvest Home Decorating contest submissions can be made until Monday, Nov. 23 and the winner will be announced by a special guest at the Resources Real Estate offices on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 10:00 a.m. For more information call 732-212-0440.

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Rumson NJ from Sarah Bandy on Vimeo.