2025 SRAA National Championship – Boy’s Varsity Quad Preview

The SRAA (Scholastic Rowing Association of America) is one of two rowing championships held in the Philadelphia area each Spring to celebrate and promote junior rowing and to end the Spring competitive season with final results, rankings, postseason standings and awards. The Stotesbury Cup was scheduled last week, but a significant rain event on Friday made the Schuylkill River dangerous, with race officials wisely suspending weekend side-by-side racing and moving to a Friday time trial only format for final rankings and awards. Hopefully, the weather will improve and a full regatta format supporting the SRAA this weekend on the Cooper River.

The SRAA started in 1935 to foster schoolboy rowing and stage an annual regatta open to the world. The regatta has been held every year since May 1935, with a few exceptions (WW2, COVID-19). Women started racing in 1974; the regatta has grown in events and athletes yearly. This year, over 135 clubs will race in 28 different events.

Malvern Preparatory School

Malvern returns to The Cooper River and SRAA with gold in their mind.. Malvern Preparatory School won The Stotesbury Cup last weekend in a time trial format by 0.2 seconds over Ridgewood Crew and 1.9 seconds over Shenendehowa. Malvern Preparatory School finished second in the 2024 SRAA by .6 seconds to Burnt Hills. Malvern Preparatory School has been developing championship-elect crews for over 20 years and should return to their Conshohocken Rowing Center with a SRAA trophy.

Seattle Prep

With a silver medal from the USRowing Northwest Youth Regional Championships at their back, Seattle Prep is a well-established programme that boats competitive sculling crews regularly. They’ve picked up numerous strong results throughout the course of the season, including wins at the Covered Bridge Regatta, a silver at the Vancouver Lake Spring Sprints and a fifth-place finish at the Head of the Lake.

The Haverford School

The Haverford School competed at the 2025 Stotesbury Cup regatta (time trial only) and finished third at the 2024 SRAA. The Haverford School has been competing for over 75 years and is one of the most successful programs in the United States. They row out of The Conshohocken Rowing Centre with other nationally-ranked rowing programs. Coach Jonathan Stephanie will have his crews ready, finishing third at the SRAA in 2024 and a top-six time trial at last week’s Stotesbury Cup time trial. Coach Stephanie has the programme and athletes to be on the podium this year.

Germantown Friends School Rowing

Finishing third at the time trial Stotesbury Cup last weekend, Germantown Friends School Rowing is positioned to be on the 2025 SRAA podium, with the culture, coaches and athletes to excel at the championship level. Finishing fifth last year at the SRAA, Coach Brian Severi has this quad ready for a podium row. The SRAA draws the most talented and experienced quads nationally. Being on the podium simply means you are a contender for national recognition; your quad has realistic expectations for USRowing Nationals in Sarasota and later, the Henley Royal Regatta in July.

Prediction

Malvern Preparatory School has the 2025 speed test at the Stotesbury time trials last week and the 2024 legacy, finishing second at SRAA. They will be first to the finish flag and then looking ahead to USRowing Youth National Championships and beyond. I expect The Haverford School, Germantown Friends School Rowing to vie for the remaining medal sports.