52nd Clinton Regatta Under Way;

Heading For Oneonta, Bainbridge

COOPERSTOWN

They’re off! For the 52rd time, canoeists from Oneonta to Montana and beyond departed at 6 a.m. today from Cooperstown’s Lakefront Park, bound for Bainbridge in the annual General Clinton Regatta.

At Oneonta, watch for the pros – they depart from here at 8 – to pass through the city at about 11:30, according to Lori and Jon Michaels of Goodyear Lake, former longtime organizing committee members who were still helping at the starting line this morning.

“The water’s up this year,” observed Lori, which means it promises to be a relatively fast race, with the front-runners arriving in Bainbridge at about 3.

The pro class – you can still catch them departing at 8 – including Oneonta’s Al Shaver, paddling with Trevor LeFever of Unadilla, who is favored to lead the local pack.

Other local pros to watch include Dale Persons of Unadilla, who turned 50 this year, paddling with Mark Gillespie of Rochester, and Jeff Shultis of Otego and Larry Harrison of West Oneonta.