Florida Tech to Host Keuper and Southeastern Crew Teams
– This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Keuper Cup Regatta, first hosted by Florida Tech in Spring 1980. The regatta is Saturday, March 12th at Canal
54 in Fellesmere. With 17 races throughout the day, the first heat race is set to go off at 9 a.m. Florida Tech’s President Anthony J. Catanese will be on
hand to present the winners with cups named after former Florida Tech President Jerome Keuper and his wife Natalie Keuper. The Keupers were strong
supporters of Panther athletics and the crew programs.
Nine men’s and women’s crew teams will be represented, showcasing Temple University, Marietta College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Stetson
University and Florida Tech. The match-up between Temple and Florida Tech will be a key early- season race as both teams are eyeing the gold later in the
season at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, Penn.
The Dad Vail is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States. The Temple Owls have been a perennial powerhouse in men’s crew for many years and
Florida Tech seeks to break their stride this season.
Last season, Florida Tech placed first in four events and took second in four other races. Marietta College women’s crew won the Natalie P. Keuper Cup and
Temple University men’s crew won the Jerome P. Keuper Cup which traditionally are the last two events of the regatta. The Tech men came in a close second
in the cup race following Temple with a second place score of 6:35.5, faring well against 2003 Dad Vail National Champions and 2004 3rd Place Dad Vail
winners.
In 2004, Florida Tech placed first in two women’s events and two men’s events. First, the Panther women won the Women’s Novice 8 race with the time of
7:24.5, defeating Embry-Riddle and Washington College. The women also took first in the Women’s Varsity 4 medaling with a time of 9:45.0, despite an
extremely hindering head wind. On the men’s side, the Panthers placed first in the Men’s Novice 8 with a time of 6:27.7 and prevailed in the Men’s Varsity
4 Petite Final with the time of 7:56.0.
Sebastian River High School, which recently started a crew program, will sell concessions for the event and Florida Tech will provide a hospitality tent.
Admission is free to the community. Canal 54 is located about 17 miles south of Florida Tech’s campus on Babcock Street in Fellesmere. For more
information, contact the Florida Tech Dept. of Athletics at 674-8032.
