Toyota Provides Support of Schuylkill Navy High Performance Collaborative Team in Continued Quest for 2021 Olympic Quali

Tri-State Toyota Dealers Sponsor Philadelphia Region's Olympic Rowing Training Team

Philadelphia, Oct 19, 2020 (Issuewire.com) - The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia, the governing body for iconic Boathouse Row and rowing across the Greater Philadelphia region, will acknowledge the perseverance of its elite athletes and the rowing community while looking ahead to 2021 at a special event on Thursday, October 22 at the Schuylkill River Grandstand. 

"Rowing is a sport that requires the utmost measure of grit and determination. It is fitting that these athletes are training in Philadelphia -- the American birthplace of rowing -- to represent the USA in the highest echelons of sport," said Paul Horvat, Schuylkill Navy Commodore.

Important to the Schuylkill Navy is maintaining its history as a premier center to develop Olympic/Paralympic and internationally competitive rowers. As a part of its long-term sponsorship through the Tri-State Toyota Dealers, Toyota -- the Official Mobility Partner of the Olympic & Paralympic Games -- directly supports the Schuylkill Navy High Performance Collaborative comprised of a group of elite coaches and athletes open to all Schuylkill Navy members.

"The support that Toyota and our local Tri-State Toyota Dealers brings to the Schuylkill Navy and our High Performance Collaborative each year is a testament to Toyota's commitment to the rowing community and overall focus on helping Olympic-hopeful athletes achieve their dreams," said Horvat. "The breadth of Toyota's support this year and on into 2021 helps us continue to improve all events at our historic venue, as well as providing a significant resource to allow Boathouse Row athletes to compete on the world-class level. We are fortunate that Toyota so generously supports these athletes and the mission of the Schuylkill Navy to promote the sport of rowing," Horvat added.

The Schuylkill Navy partnership with Toyota places funding and support behind the Schuylkill Navy High Performance Collaborative to help local rowing athletes train to compete at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. As part of that commitment, the Tri-State Toyota Dealers will present the Schuylkill Navy with a $30,000 donation towards all of the efforts behind the High Performance Collaborative and the ongoing "The Schuylkill Navy Series presented by Toyota".

"Toyota is excited to continue our relationship with the Schuylkill Navy and support of their High Performance Collaborative here in 2020 and throughout 2021," said Paul Muller, President of the Tri-State Toyota Dealers Association. "To continue helping student-athletes and support our local Olympic-hopefuls - all the while expanding development and access to rowing talent at every level - is a core part of our local support of the Olympic movements and adaptive rowing, which helps drive our continued support behind The Schuylkill Navy Series we help fund each year," said Muller.

Toyota's global commitment to mobility and access for all continues as an important part of their support for the Olympics and Paralympic games in 2021. In addition to local efforts like the Schuylkill Navy High Performance Collaborative, Toyota supports its "Team Toyota" athletes competing on Team USA, such as Oksana Masters -- a four-time U.S. Paralympian who has competed in rowing events during the Paralympic summer games.

Following the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics to 2021, the athletes and coaches on the Schuylkill Navy High Performance Collaborative continue to pursue Olympic qualification for two men's boats in the Olympic rowing events. Seeking qualification are the men's heavyweight quadruple sculls and the men's lightweight double sculls. Athletes in both boats are training on the Schuylkill River.

"The impact from the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation, postponement or reimagining of our events/programs here in 2020," said Horvat. "From our high school-level athletes that missed competing at The Stotesbury Cup Regatta to our high-performance athletes training for the postponed OIympic Games in Tokyo, our sport, associated clubs, and the local rowing community are certainly looking forward to the potential to be out on the river again in 2021 once conditions are save again," Horvat added.

The pandemic's impact has been felt across all of the Schuylkill Navy's activities in 2020, and the Schuylkill Navy will also announce plans at the event for the continuation in 2021 of "The Schuylkill Navy Series presented by Toyota," which included the planned return of five signature regattas/events to be held on the Schuylkill River and in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park throughout the 2021 calendar year.

It is Toyota's goal to continue to emphasize its commitment to creating an ever-better society through freedom of movement by championing local hometown heroes and national athletes, as well as events such as those appearing in "The Schuylkill Navy Series presented by Toyota," that connect with people locally to share and encourage others to do the same. Toyota, in conjunction with the local Tri-State Toyota Dealers Association will continue as the presenting sponsor of The Schuylkill Navy Series, which includes the six events conducted every year.

"The Tri-State Toyota Dealers' ongoing commitment to the Schuylkill Navy, the High Performance Collaborative, and our local rowing community is one of our most important partnerships," said Muller. "As 25 local Toyota Dealers living and working in Greater Philadelphia, we also deeply value assisting the Schuylkill Navy with the Series and in their overall efforts of preservation/conservation of the Schuylkill River and Boathouse Row - one of the most-iconic and important historical landmarks in our region - helping to, expand river stewardship, maintain river user safety," Muller added.

With Toyota's support, the Schuylkill Navy continues its leadership as the nation's oldest amateur sporting organization and aims to provide greater access to rowing and events in the birthplace of American rowing through the Series, related events and programs. The Schuylkill Navy and Toyota look forward to bringing back that access to the rowing community in 2021.

The introduction of the athletes will be made on October 22, 2020, at 10:00 am at the Finish Line Grandstand, Kelly Drive, in Fairmount Park. In addition to athletes, representatives from Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and rowing organizations supported by the Toyota sponsorship will be in attendance with Schuylkill Navy officials and Toyota representatives.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to respect of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and public health guidelines, attendance of the event will be limited to invite-only guests and credentialed media.

For additional information, including details on accessibility at the Grandstand, contact Bonnie Mueller at [email protected].

ABOUT THE SCHUYLKILL NAVY OF PHILADELPHIA:  Founded in 1858, the Schuylkill Navy is the oldest amateur sporting association in the country and is chartered by its member clubs on Boathouse Row and upriver "to secure collective action and promote amateurism on the Schuylkill." Through the Schuylkill Navy Series presented by Toyota, it has staged over 600 events, most dating back to the mid-19th century. For more information, visit www.boathouserow.org.

ABOUT TRI-STATE TOYOTA DEALERS ASSOCIATION: The Tri-State Toyota Dealers Association (TDA) is comprised of 25 Toyota Dealers in the Greater Philadelphia market dedicated to providing customers in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Northwestern Delaware and Southern New Jersey communities with Toyota sales and service. The Tri-State TDA has been supporting the Schuylkill Navy and their community efforts for nearly eight years and is proud to continue to support the Schuylkill Navy Series, High Performance Collaborative and Toyota's overall Olympic & Paralympic efforts across the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.

 ABOUT TOYOTA: Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold 2.8 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

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Source :The Schuylkill Navy

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