The Gold Challenge Cup Foundation announced a newly reformatted time-trial approach and increased prize money to its racing series to expand and equalize opportunities for participation.
The 2022 series features three races for U.S. rowers, with finalists now determined by 650-meter time trials: the Hoffman Challenge (scholastic), Blackwall Duling Challenge (Para rowing), and US Lotman Challenge (U.S. elite). The marquee event, the international Gold Cup Challenge, is a finals-only event featuring four of the top male and female elite single scullers from all over the world.
U.S. athletes interested in competing in the Hoffman, Blackwall Duling, or Lotman races can find qualification information and registration details at the Gold Cup website.
In addition, marking a first in rowing, the Foundation will offer prize money for U.S. elite Para rowers in the Blackwall Duling Challenge, and U.S. elite rowers in the Lotman Challenge at parity: $8,000 for first place, $6,000 for second, $4,000 for third and $2,000 for fourth place in both the men's and women's events.
Prize money for the men's and women's world elite sculling championship (Gold Cup Challenge) is $16,000 for first place, $12,000 for second place, $8,000 for third place, and $4,000 for fourth place.
The Gold Cup Challenge Series returns to Cooper River Park in Camden County, N.J., on Saturday, October 29, 2022, following a two-year pandemic hiatus. Athletes from across the U.S. and world will compete in the unique short-course "sprint" races of approximately 750 meters. The races' shorter length is designed to foster close competition and down-to-the-wire finishes. The race course uses the middle four lanes of the Cooper River and allows start-to-finish viewing by spectators from the river bank along the Camden County Boathouse.
By providing a series of exciting racing opportunities, in addition to prize money, the Gold Challenge Cup Foundation fulfills its mission to raise the profile of sculling worldwide, in part by providing financial support to elite athletes in their training and development. The Foundation also partners with Head of the Charles to provide grants to support rowing programs that serve under-resourced communities within the United States and support their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. To date, the Gold Challenge Cup Foundation has given nearly $400,000 in grant and prize money to the rowing community.
About the Gold Challenge Cup
The Philadelphia Gold Challenge Cup – Philadelphia Gold Cup race was commissioned by the Schuylkill Navy in 1920 to honor the undisputed world champion in single sculls rowing. It pitted 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 and 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.
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