American Rowing’s largest prize series announces new formats for Elite and Para- Rowing. 

Conshohocken, PA—The Philadelphia Gold Challenge Cup Foundation introduced today the 2020 format for the fourth year of the U.S. Lotman Challenge series of races and second year for the Blackwall Duling Challenge race.

Both the Lotman and Blackwall Duling Challenge continue to support America’s top rowers financially with meaningful cash prizes given to the top scoring male and female rowers. Matt Imes, High Performance Director at USRowing, emphasized that “USRowing is excited to again be a part of these races. The event continues to be a great investment for scullers and para- scullers in the United States.” With a revised selection format for the first leg of the series, the Gold Cup Foundation will provide exciting competition and support US scullers as they gear up the the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

U.S. Lotman Challenge Covering three different race distances and racecourses throughout 2020, the Challenge will identify America’s premier single scullers and crown champions following the final race in Camden, NJ on Saturday, October 24th. The Challenge winners will not accumulate points in the 2020 format, and instead will use the Olympic Trials and the National Championships to qualify participants who then proceed to the Head Of The Charles Regatta where the top 4 will be identified for the final race on the Cooper River.

Priscilla Livingston, Director of Operations for Head Of The Charles Regatta noted that “the HOCR is excited to join forces with the Lotman Challenge again this year. This series is so important to further sculling in the US. We’re looking forward to hosting these top athletes on the Charles before they continue down to the Philly area for the final leg.” Prize money of $8,000 will be awarded to each male and female Champion, $6,000 to each second place, $4,000 to each third place, and $2,000 to each fourth place finisher.

Leg 1:

– US Olympic 1x Trials (March 16-20th, Sarasota FL): Top 6 Male and Female – Elite 1x National Championships (July 14-19th, Cincinnati OH): Top 2 Male and Female Leg 2:

– Champ 1x at HOCR (October 17-18th, Boston MA) – Top 4 finishers at HOCR qualify and move down to Gold Cup Sprint Course Leg 3:

– Lotman 750m sprint final at the Cooper River (October 24th, Camden NJ) – Cash prizes awarded by order of finish

Blackwall Duling Challenge Building off its inaugural year, the Blackwall Duling has evolved to a formal qualification process through participation and results in the US Para Trials that will be held as part of Olympic Trials II in Sarasota this April.

“The inclusion of our Para rowers in the Blackwall Duling Challenge is a huge step forward for US Para Rowing,” said Ellen Minzner, USRowing Para High Performance Director. “This race will inspire the next generation of Paralympic hopefuls to continue to train and compete at the highest international levels.” Prize money of $5,000 will be awarded to each Champion, $2,500 for each second place, $1,500 for each third place, and $1,000 for each fourth place.

US Para Trials (April 16-18th, Sarasota FL)

– Top 4 male and female athletes qualify – 750m sprint final at the Gold Cup course in October

“We are committed to finding a combination of challenging and effective race formats for our competitors, especially in an Olympic year” announced Scot Fisher, Gold Challenge Cup Foundation Board Member. “Both the Lotman and Blackwall Duling Challenges help support US Sculling and Para-Sculling athletes as they prepare to represent the United States on the international stage. We look forward to supporting American athletes in their preparations this summer.” 

More information about the 2020 US Lotman Challenge race series and the Blackwall Duling Challenge, including rules and regulations, can be found on the Gold Cup’s website.

### Gold Challenge Cup History The Philadelphia Gold Challenge Cup race was commissioned by the Schuylkill Navy in 1920 to honor the undisputed World Champion in single scull rowing. It putted the world’s best amateur male single scullers against each other in a sprint race on the Schuylkill River. John B. Kelly Sr., of Philadelphia’s Vesper Boat Club, was the first recipient. In the mid-1960s the competition ceased and the trophy disappeared. In 1996 after a long absence, the trophy was rediscovered. Thanks to the Gold Challenge Cup Foundation the event was reintroduced to its rightful prominence in 2011. Since its revival, the competition has grown to include the world’s top female scullers, para-adaptive athletes, and youth scullers.

### Contact: Elle Carolan Gold Challenge Cup +1-610-715-5358 Phillygoldcup.elle@gmail.com