Regatta HoF Inductees Named
BAINBRIDGE—This year’s General Clinton Canoe Regatta Hall of Fame induction ceremony will spotlight four paddlers and two individuals who have contributed in an important way to the successful annual event, now in its 62nd year.
Class of 2024 inductees will be honored during the regatta celebration, to be held May 24-26 in Bainbridge. The ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 25 at General Clinton Park under the main entertainment tent. For the second consecutive year since its inaugural event in 2012, all GCCR HoF inductees have past or present connections to New York State.
Paddlers being inducted are Bruce Codington, Lori Shaver Roseboom Michaels, Bob Silvernail and William Whiting.
Bruce Codington, of Sidney, is described as “a terrific local paddler who has competed with other elite individuals” and counts three victories and many seconds and thirds among his 28 70-mile races. According to a release, he started with relays and sprints before 1986. Codington won in 1991 with Bill Soroka (aluminum), in 2004 (Dan DuBois/ NYMCRA stock), and in 2011 (Nick Hindley/open). He has four C-1 finishes, as well. For more than 25 years, Codington has volunteered as a lifeguard/instructor for all scout races, as a safety measure, at the Unadilla and Susquehanna river confluence.
Maryland resident Lori Shaver Roseboom Michaels has 14 70-mile finishes with several victories: 1998 mixed amateur and 2000 mixed pro with Bill Rogers II; 2007 mixed pro with Al Shaver Jr.; 2004 women’s pro with Gloria Wesley; and 2008 women’s amateur with Cathy Grimes. Michaels was part of the Zaveral Racing “Dream Team” relay champs of 2015 and considered a dynamic force on the regatta race committee (1996-2011), many of those years as chairman. Her leadership as the regatta moved into the digital age was described as “unparalleled.”
Bob Silvernail’s diverse paddling career includes 15 GCCR competitions, eight of which were in the pro division. He has also raced throughout the U.S., Canada and Thailand. Silvernail, who lives in Bainbridge, served as newsletter editor of New York Marathon Canoe Racing Association and was a United States Canoe Association delegate for the former Triple Crown Series, which led to his efforts to spearhead a racers’ dinner during Regatta Weekend. He and his wife, Sue, ran Beech Hill Outfitters, selling canoes and supplies to paddlers.
William Whiting, of Fultonville, is in the top 20 among all GCCR paddlers with 38 70-mile finishes, highlighted by a first-place stock aluminum race with his son, Bryan, in 2001. Whiting has had many more top 10 finishes, often with sons Bryan and Eric, as well as friend Gerry Wagner. This quartet has earned several top-five placings in the C-4 at the Adirondack 90-mile event. Whiting has paddled since 1984 and remains competitive with his sons to this day.
Top contributors to the GCCR being honored this year are Greg Davie of Sidney and Ron Jeffrey of Marietta. Davie has been part of the extensive regatta coverage team at WCDO radio since 1987 and has conducted countless interviews with racers and organizers over five decades. He has co-anchored live radio coverage for more than 35 years and is still active in that capacity. An original member of the regatta Hall of Fame committee, Davie has served as emcee for the HOF Induction since its inception in 2012. He retired as longtime regatta HOF chairman this year.
Besides his many years paddling in the Regatta Relays, Ron Jeffrey and his family devised the idea of an “over/under” short race as part of Regatta Weekend, which evolved into the popular “Generation Gap” races held on Friday nights. This Sidney-to-Bainbridge race has run from 1983-86 and 1988 to present, with Ron providing leadership for much of that time. Ron’s idea brought a renewed interest in canoeing by the young people.
According to the website, the first GCCR down the Susquehanna from Cooperstown to Bainbridge was held on July 4, 1963 and had 45 entries. The winners finished in 11 hours 45 minutes. Today, the race record is 6 hours 34 minutes 34 seconds.