Published: May 14, 2008 02:22 pm         

Canoe regatta champs split up

By Dean Russin

Sports Editor



Two-time defending General Clinton Regatta champions Matt Rimer and Andy Triebold have ended their union and will compete in separate canoes during the 46th running of the 60-mile Memorial Day race down the Susquehanna River.



“Andy just lined up with someone else this year,” said Rimer, who added that the move by Triebold came as a complete surprise. “We haven’t paddled together since.”



The Michigan duo finished the 2007 race from Cooperstown to Bainbridge in 7 hours, 24 minutes, 59 seconds last May, beating second-place Guy and Jean Rousseau by almost seven minutes in the C-2 Pro Class.



Rimer and Triebold won their first title in 2006, which marked the first of two straight absences for 28-time champion Serge Corbin. That year, the two crossed in 7:35:13 to beat runners-up Steve Lajoie and Mo Harwood by 11:03.



Reached by cell phone Monday morning, Rimer said he was stunned by Triebold’s decision to partner with Lajoie this year.



“I got married Sept. 29 up here in Grayling (Mich.) and he was in the wedding,” Rimer said of Triebold, who took part in the ceremony as a groomsman. “I hadn’t talked to him for a few months after that ... but then I called him and called him and finally left a message that said I need to know what’s going on. He called me back and said he’s doing it with Steve.”



Rimer, 24, said there was no rift that may have led to the split.



“I have no idea,” said Rimer, who will paddle with fellow Michigan resident Bill Torongo. Rimer also said he will team with his new Clinton partner for the 61st AuSable River Canoe Regatta, which runs July 26-27 in Michigan. “Andy had raced with Steve in the past before he and I started racing together. So, I don’t know; maybe he just wanted to race with Steve again.”



Triebold, 31, could not be reached for comment. Rimer said Triebold recently changed his phone number, which is not listed.



Neither Lajoie nor Torongo competed in the Clinton last year. Torongo and Clark Kent completed the 2006 C-2 race in 8:16:05, finishing 24 spots behind Lajoie and Harwood.



So far, two of the top 10 C-2 teams have confirmed they will return intact for the 2008 race: Pennsylvanians Jeff Rankinen and Todd Roadman, and Massachusetts residents Steve Drew and Thomas Ellsworth. The duos finished fourth (7:38:00) and ninth (7:44:00), respectively.



The Rousseaus also have split, with Guy joining Alain Poirer of Quebec this year. Jean Rousseau does not appear on the entry list, which is current on the website www.canoeregatta.org as of May 11.



Poirer and Rodrigue Forand finished 13th last year (7:44:38).



As of today, no entries have been posted for Rod and Ryan Halstead (third in 2007, 7:35:11); Brad Gross and Tony Short (sixth, 7:39:07); Josh Taylor and Matt Meersman (seventh, 7:43:09); or Dave Jensen and Tad Hill (eighth, 7:43:40).



The fifth- and 10th-place teams from 2007 also have changed. Gilbertsville’s Matt Rudnitsky, fifth in 7:38:03 with Andy Rudnitsky last year, has teamed with Marc Gillespie of Rochester. Sidney’s Ed Curley, 10th in 7:44:09 with Dale Persons last May, will join Allen Limberg of Wisconsin.



Neither Andy Rudnitsky nor Persons have entered the Clinton to date.



“It’s going to be very interesting,” Clinton chairperson Pam LeFever said, referring to the parity that should stem from the multiple partner changes. “There are some good teams in there.”



LeFever also said Corbin is suffering from a hernia and will not return this year. The Daily Star failed to connect to the home phone of Canadian Corbin, who did not return a message left on his work phone Wednesday morning.



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Dean Russin can be reached at drussin@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 215.