Bayada Regatta rowing race set to return to Pennsauken
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On Sept. 27, the Bayada Regatta — one of the world’s largest and longest-running rowing competitions for people with disabilities — is to return to Pennsauken.
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The race is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Camden County Boathouse, located at 7050 N. Park Drive at Cooper River Park.Attendance and parking are free for spectators.
Participants train and practice with their local rowing club, then join together for the annual opportunity to showcase their skills. The race participants range from beginners to Paralympians, who all use adaptive boat equipment for the race.
"When this regatta began four decades ago, it was the first rowing competition just for people with disabilities,” said Bayada CEO Bryony Winn, who joined the nonprofit in March 2026.
“It’s meaningful to continue to support these extraordinary athletes. I am excited to be there — come join us for a beautiful day in Cooper River Park and see what this community is all about.”
The races are to include singles, doubles and sweeps, which include four para-rowers and a coxswain (the person in charge of steering the boat), the press release on the event said.
Philadelphia Fire Department member Carlos Santory, 30, is expected to be racing this year. He was a combat medic in the U.S. Army and went on to join the City of Brotherly Love’s fire team six years ago.
In winter of 2025, a car struck Santory while he was riding his motorcycle, leading to a brain bleed. Despite attempts to save it, Santory’s left leg had to be amputated, requiring a painful recovery process which required skin grafts and wound vacs.
According to the release, Santory underwent intense physical therapy to rebuild his life after the accident. His occupational therapist recommended him to try adaptive sports, which led him to the Philadelphia Adaptive Rowing club.
“Rowing is much more challenging than it looks,” Santory said. “I’m still pretty new, and there’s a lot of technique to work on.”
Last year when Santory competed in his first Bayada Regatta, he didn’t wear his prosthetic. This year he said he’ll row with it after a year of practicing with his club on the Schuylkill River.
“Rowing is a great way to get back in shape, and it’s nice to get out and connect with everybody,” he said. “I’ve made a bunch of new friends to hang out with. It’s weird, I lost a lot from the accident, but I also gained a lot. I found this whole kind of hidden community, and now I’m part of it. Kind of beautiful.”
The annual race was originally founded in 1981 by Philadelphia Adapted Rowing. In 1983, Bayada Home Healthcare became the primary sponsor of the event.
Mia Boykin is an education/watchdog reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: [email protected]. Please consider a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Bayada Regatta rowing race set to return to Pennsauken