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Sponsors:
Ed Waszkiewicz (Mutual
of Omaha); Scott Locorini (Adirondack
Exposure); Steve Sonne (Dick
Sonne's Cycles) |
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2008 inductees: ROWING: Jen Kaido (nominated by Ed Waszkiewicz & Larry Healy); Dr. Leroy & Jan Cooley, (nominated by Larry Healy). KAYAKING: Nigel Foster, (nominated by Scott Locorini); Ward Dailey, (nominated by Scott Locorini). CANOEING: Dr. Michael Fries, (nominated by Jan Whitaker). BICYCLING: Clete McLaughlin (nominated by Frank Williams); Jim & Kathy White (nominated by Laurel & Steve Sonne).
Download Agenda. Download Flyer. View bios/pix below. Jen Kaido was a member of one of thirteen crews who represented the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls (W4x). Jen completed her participation in the 2008 Games, finishing just out of the medals as she helped row the U.S. to a fifth place finish in the women's quadruple sculls at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park. The crew of Kaido, Margot Shumway, Lindsay Meyer and Lia Pernell finished fifth, clocking a 6:25.86. China came from behind to win the gold medal in a 6:16.06, while Great Britain finished second in a 6:17.37. Germany won the bronze in a 6:19.56. A three-time national team member, Jen was part of the silver medal winning women's quadruple sculls crew at the 2008 Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland. She finished eighth in the double sculls at the 2007 FISA World Championships and fifth in the double sculls at the 2007 FISA World Cup stop in Lucerne. Part of the sixth-place boat in the quadruple sculls at the 2006 FISA World Championships and the fourth-place boat in the quadruple sculls at the 2006 FISA World Cup stop in Lucerne, Jen also served as an alternate at the 2005 FISA World Championships after winning bronze in the quadruple sculls at the 2005 FISA World Cup stop in Munich. A graduate of Adirondack High School, NY, hometown West Leyden, NY, Jen earned a degree in Animal Science in 2003 from Cornell University, NYS. Jen began Rowing at Cornell University in 2002, Club Affiliation: US Rowing Training Center Training Location: Princeton, N.J. Years on National Team: Three - 2005-07, Senior Event (s): Sculling. Jennifer was the Female Athlete of the Year (2000-01) at the State University of New York at Cobleskill, competing in volleyball and track & field before transferring to Cornell. Jennifer began rowing her senior year at Cornell. She worked at the Large Animal/Equine Vet Clinic on campus as a vet tech assistant her junior year. Jennifer grew up in a small town of approximately 500 people. She is very close to her family and most of her extended family lives within an hour. She says she gets her work ethic from her parents, who are the hardest working people she knows. Her father, who built their house, is an electrician and her mother is a licensed practical nurse. Jennifer also likes alpacas and would like to own an alpaca farm someday. Pictures of Jen rowing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing follow.
Nigel Foster is one of the world’s most skilled sea kayakers. He doesn’t boast of his prowess. He is a soft spoken, almost shy individual, but the grace and elegance he displays when paddling demonstrates an unparalleled depth of knowledge about his kayaks, his skills and the ocean. His international reputation is built on his designs (he has designed six sea kayaks), his books, (`Nigel Foster’s Sea Kayaking’, `Nigel Foster’s Surf Kayaking’, `A Sea Kayaking Guide to Southern Florida’ published by Globe Pequot Press, and `Kayaking, a Beginner’s Guide’ and `Open Canoe Technique’ published by Fernhurst Books in the UK), his teaching, his instructional videos and DVDs (available from Starling Productions), and his expeditions. He developed his kayaking skills as a teenager in England; he crossed the English Channel several times, sometimes at night, he soloed 400 miles around the Southwest Coast of England and also explored the wild and exposed coast of Scotland. He was the youngest paddler to circumnavigate Iceland (he was 24). He did this expedition with his friend Geoff Hunter. He became a very active kayak instructor and led groups to the arctic islands of Norway, the Faeroe Islands, Iceland, and the wilder parts of the Western Isles of Scotland, The Shetlands and Orkney Islands. His adventurous spirit led him to expeditions on the coast of Newfoundland and to cross France, from North to South, by paddling a racing tandem through its rivers and canals. In 1981 he undertook a major expedition from Baffin Island to Resolution Island and then across the 40 miles of open water in Hudson Strait to the Button Islands and the Northern Coast of Labrador. In this area tidal range can exceed 40 feet and tidal streams can run at more than seven knots. After fighting the tidal streams in the dark near the Button Islands, suffering frostbitten fingers and loss of gear, he eventually gave up on this expedition and hitched a ride on a passing tanker. In the late summer of 2004, accompanied by his companion Kristin Nelson, he finally completed that expedition by paddling from Kuujiaq in Ungava Bay to Nain. A distance of over 600 miles of uninhabited coastline. It’s not quite uninhabited, his latest slide show covers this expedition and notes numerous encounters with polar bears! Nigel Foster is an international kayak teacher and has become an icon of modern sea kayaking. He teaches simple, functional techniques devoid of dogma and his pupils gain a greater understanding of not only how a kayak works but also how to maximize their effectiveness as paddlers. He instructs in Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Spain, the U.K, Canada and the U.S.A. He presently lives in Seattle, WA and can often be found instructing classes in the famous passes of the San Juan Islands. Pictures of Nigel kayaking follow.
Clete McLaughlin, a life long resident of Little Falls, came to cycling in his early thirties after being caught up in the running boom of the 1980s. Eighteen consecutive Boilermakers, five marathons and hundreds of 10K races later led him to attempt something different, the sport of triathlon, where he quickly discovered his lack of swimming ability but also his talent and passion for cycling. As a cyclist Clete developed into one of the most competitive, well known and respected racers in central New York. Among his accomplishments are a silver medal in the Empire State Games, his selection by the United States Cycling Federation to carry the Olympic torch in 1996, along with numerous other time trial and road racing successes. He also served as President of the Mohawk Valley Cycling Club for four years. In addition to his racing experiences Clete has participated in The Ride for Missing Children, the Tour de ‘Lil in Montreal, ridden across the state of Iowa (RAGBRAI #25) and completed the Tour of the Volcanoes in Washington and Oregon. In 2003 he traveled to Europe, spending two weeks on his bike following the Tour de France and witnessing Lance Armstrong winning his fifth consecutive Tour in Paris. He continues to ride approximately five thousand miles each year. But his most significant cycling accomplishment, and contribution to the local cycling community, is the annual Canal Classic Road Race. Through cycling Clete developed many new acquaintances and friends, primary among them was his close relationship with fellow cyclist Mike Cool. The two of them spent countless hours and thousands of miles together enjoying the sport they both loved. In a tragic work related accident in 1991 Mike lost his life. As a memorial to his friend, and their mutual passion for cycling, Clete, in 1992, organized the first Canal Classic Road Race and Tour. Originally intended as a one time undertaking, the positive feedback from that initial effort led to another, and another. Now, seventeen editions later, the Canal Classic has become the oldest, continuously running cycling specific event in upstate New York. It carries with it a reputation of being well organized, very challenging and simply a lot of fun. Each year, as the registration list grows, it includes cyclist from all over the country and Canada, many making it a yearly trek to the area for just one purpose, to climb the hills of the Mohawk Valley. Although the quality of the competition has steadily improved over the years, the event remains focused on encouraging participation by the recreational cyclist, to foster and promote the joy of cycling and the friendships it inevitably creates. Having profited greatly through his experiences with cycling, Clete has given back to the sport he loves, to the benefit of many, and at the same time preserving a dear friend’s memory. Photos follow.
Jim White has been a Rider since 1981. A long time member of the Mohawk Valley Bicycling Club, he has been Vice President since 2003. Among the many local races and events Jim has riden in or taken a leadership role in are: MVBC Tour de France Prologue Race Director since 2004; Member of the Herkimer-Oneida County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; Rider in The Ride For Missing Children since 2000; Ride for Missing Children - shepherd. Jim holds the following Ride for Missing Children committee positions: Executive Committee; Co-Chair – Corporate Benefactor Committee; Co-Chair – Finance Committee; Coordinator for Escort and Designated Riders. Jim was also Member of the NCMEC Tribute to Awareness Ride to DC in 2005 and a Special Olympics cycling coach since 2001. Kathy White has been a Rider since 2002. A member of the MVBC since 2002, she is currently a club sponsor and board member. Among the mnay local races and events Kathy has riden in or taken a leadership rol in are: Drove support van for the Ride for Missing Children for two years; Rider in the Ride for Missing Children since 2002; Riding in the 15 year anniversary ride for Sara Ann Wood; Ride of Silence for 3 years; Volunteers as a speaker for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to spread the word of personal & bicycle safety to school children. Kathy has also been an Assistant to MVBC Tour de France TT Race Director for 4 years; Chaired the Lodging Committee for the NCMEC Tribute to Awareness Ride to DC in 2005; Coordinated riders and families to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade for NCMEC for 4 years; Was involved with the new rider program in 2003; has Volunteered for the Special Olympic Bicycle Competition for the past 6 years. Photos follow.
Ward J. Dailey Ward’s first introduction to kayaks was in the late 1970’s during a pool class, and he has been hooked every since. The only thing missing on him is gills. His first plastic kayak was a blazer then a mirage followed by a constant change of kayaks. Ward’s current inventory stands at 8 kayaks. Ward says his philosophy is simple, “ I want to introduce as many people as possible to the sport, teaching the basics, boat control, paddle strokes and the roll.” Over the past 25 years he has introduced thousands to the sport. Originally he thought it would be a good way to add paddlers to his “call list”. Over time his “call list” grew to the point where he formed the Adirondack River Kayak Association which sent out monthly articles on rivers in the northeast and made it easier for other paddlers to get together to paddle. In the late 1990’s, Ward trained three local youth in Wildwater Kayaking and brought them to the US Wildwater team trials to compete on the world level. Ward has also given presentations at the Adirondack Paddlefest
in Inlet, New York and recently obtained a NYS whitewater guides license.
Even though Ward has paddled most of the major watersheds in the northeast,
he can be found a lot of evenings paddling the Black River where it
flows right past his front door. Photos follow.
Dr. Leroy [Roy] H. & Jan Cooley are active members of the Erie Canal Rowing Club. Dr. Cooley is an orthopeadic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, while Jan is a physical therapist in sports rehab. They moved to this area almost 30 years ago because of the Adirondacks, the Lake Effect snows, and the Erie Canal. They had been long-time white water paddlers, and avid canoists. When they heard that a newly formed rowing club was in Rome, they and their two kids signed up for that next spring 's Learn - To- Row program, what they term "a perfect exercise, a beautiful body of water, and a sport in which their family filled the sweep 4 boat every week, as long as Larry Healy was willing to cox, which turned out to be all summer". The following fall and spring they directed the Learn-To -Row program, continuing this for the next 6 years, teaching many people to row. Jan, certified as a Level 1 Coach through US Rowing in 2000, was on the Board of Directors for 1999- 2005. Both Jan and Roy attended the Florida Rowing Clinics for three years. Roy designed and built 2 boat racks to hold the skulling boats. He also built his own wooden skull which has been used by the club as a bridge up to a racing boat and has been instrumental in many boat repairs . The Cooley's have competed in single skulls, and mixed doubles, racing in The Head Of The Erie. They also competed at the Head of The Mohawk in mixed doubles. Other years they volunteered as timers, dock masters, and other duties at the Head Race in Rome. They say "we are extremely appreciative for a small group of ten people who took the initiative to start the Erie Canal Rowing Club. It has been a wonderful experience on a beautiful stretch of water". Pix to follow
Dr. Michael Fries is an avid paddler from the Western part of NYS. Prior to Canoe racing Mike was competitive in a variety of sports in high school, most notably in track. He won state championships in New York running a 220 yard leg of the last sprint medley relay to be run in this state in 1970. In 1977 he was doing a rotation at the Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA and met Jeff Raub who was a resident working at the hospital there. They both had experience in canoeing and started racing together. He also started racing with Tanna (who he would eventually marry) in mixed couples in 1979. Being a medical student and intern limited my focus on racing until 1980 when I began working in the Emergency Room at Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, NY.
Over the next 10 years I focused on competition in the United States Canoe Association, New York Canoe Racing Association and participated in many professional races in the US and Canada. I participated in the International Canoe Federation Marathon in Luxembourg in 1982 and in outrigger races in Hawaii over 8 years and in Australia in 1990.
Major Championships include: During the time Tanna and I were racing we did many instructional clinics and produced the first instructional video for canoe racers in 1990.
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