"I used to hate it during Vails week when I rowed here," said Espeseth, a former member of several national and Olympic teams that rowed out of the Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association on Boat House Row.
"If you weren't careful you could get killed by a novice eight that didn't know where they were going."
So Espeseth was going as fast as he could to get his single shell on the water so he could row ahead of his various charges and guide them up and down the river.
At least that what he said. It could also have been that he just couldn't wait to get back on the Schuylkill during one of the most colorful weeks on the Philadelphia rowing calendar.
It's Dad Vail weekend again.
For the 63rd year since the race was started as a season-ending competition for small to mid-size college rowing programs, the race now known as the "Big Daddy," starts this morning on the Schuylkill.
Beginning at 7 a.m., and running all day today and tomorrow, thousands of college rowers will compete in 146 events with the hopes of standing on the victory dock.
For the 111 schools, the most ever to enter the regatta, it means a weekend of some of the best competition they will face all year. And, for the thousands of spectators who are expected to jam the banks of the river it means two full days of entertainment.
The weather is expected to be great, sunny and seasonably warm, and there will plenty for both the informed and uninformed who venture to Kelly Drive to watch.
(A warning: Kelly Drive will be closed from about 10 a.m. today until dusk tomorrow).
Besides racing there will be live entertainment from five of the areas top local rock bands, including this morning's performance by "Train."
In addition to the music, there will be a job fair, a food court, a beer pavilion with an outdoor cafe near the finish line, giveaways, contests, merchandise vendors, interactive skill games, and an exhibition dragon boat race.
