The Knecht Cup Regatta Sanctions with USRowing for 2025

January 28 2025 – Today the Knecht Cup Regatta announced their decision to sanction this year’s event with USRowing, prioritizing the safety and well-being of thousands of young athletes. The Knecht Cup will celebrate and hold its 26th Annual Regatta over the weekend of April 12-13 on the Cooper River, in Cherry Hill, N.J. where Bill Knecht – whom the event is in honor of - created the sought after racecourse in 1970s.

One of the most popular events of the collegiate racing season, The Knecht Cup has grown to over 360 entries across 60 programs, making it one of the largest collegiate regattas in the nation and second only to the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA Championship) in its size.

Through sanctioning, Knecht Cup will take advantage of USRowing’s referee corps, insurance program, and USRowing’s on-the-ground regatta support to help uphold safety standards.

“Building upon Bill Knecht’s legacy, we are committed to holding ourselves to the highest standards—not only in competition but also in safeguarding and overall experience,” said Laura Knecht Blanche, President of The Knecht Cup Regatta. “Every year, our goal is to improve the Knecht Cup to meet the standards of the athletes and coaches as demand and racing needs change and develop. A foundational need of our stakeholders is safety, and we know that universal minimum standards for participants play an important part in meeting that need.”

The Knecht Cup Regatta celebrates Bill Knecht - Laura Knecht Blanche’s late father – who is remembered as a significant figure in American regattas, and influential in World Rowing and Olympic regattas. Every year the winners of each event are awarded their medals by the grandchildren of Bill Knecht, and many of Bill’s family members and friends support the regatta in key roles, to make the event a success.

"We are proud to support the Knecht Cup, one of the preeminent events in collegiate rowing, as they continue to sustain and elevate their commitment to safety and safeguarding. The Knecht Cup’s dedication to creating a top-tier competitive experience, while prioritizing the well-being of athletes, coaches, and participants, sets a gold standard for rowing events,” said Amanda Kraus, USRowing’s Chief Executive Officer.

Bill Knecht is an American Rowing Hall of Fame member, a former President of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen, and one of the founders of the National Rowing Foundation. He was the only American to serve on the World Rowing Federation (FISA) Umpiring Commission for two decades. Internationally, he won gold medals in the eights at the 1955 Pan American Games and 1964 Olympics, and in the double sculls at the 1959 and 1963 Pan American Games.

Knecht Blanche added, “‘All Together Now’, is a motto borne from the Vesper Boat Club when in it originated in the 1800s on the Schuylkill where my father began his rowing career; the U.S. rowing community is stronger when united, and we hope other regattas will also choose to sanction with USRowing, as we and the San Diego Crew Classic have. We see this as a unifying moment for rowers, coaches, and teams across the country—an opportunity to come together around our shared passion for the sport while embracing the highest standards for safety and excellence.”

Both USRowing member and non-member organizations can compete at the regatta. Non-member organizations interested in attending a sanctioned event can purchase a Regatta Pass to meet the requirement for organizational membership. Read the regatta pass FAQs here, and to register for the event click here. For those who wish to enjoy the regatta remotely, all races will be livestreamed for a third consecutive year.