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Very sorry to hear of Shannon's passing. His hydros were tough to beat.
I still laugh at the story Craig told at Wakefield about how they got started. I think the icon they used was named George Bezoat - no such person. Wish I could've seen the original tee shirt.
So sorry to hear of Shannon’s passing! I loved racing CSH against him! Tough competitor and a legend! Also built a heck of a good boat that was often referred to as being built like a fine piece of furniture.
Condolences to his family and friends. I remember one year at the Nationals he built a boat with a white deck that everyone signed with a big felt tip pen. Always a great boat racer and person.
I've posted this photo of Shanon several times before on Hydroracer.net. I took it at the Williamsport, PA race in July 2005. It's one of my favorites. Something about the direct stare into the camera makes it compelling.
Craig, my thoughts and prayers are with you and the other members of Shanon's family. I am sorry for your loss.
My wife only went to a few boat races with me, instead allowing those trips to become "boys weekends" when one or both of our sons would travel and race with me. After accompanying me on one such rare weekend she told me she recognized Shanon and chatted with him.
My wife: "I told Shanon that I looked at his picture almost every night before I went to bed."
Me: <with a horrified look> "But you told him why, right?"
My wife: "Maybe."
The rest of the story: The year I took this photo of Shanon, I entered it in competition at our small, local county fair and it won a ribbon. The framed photo with ribbon is one of a collage of over a dozen photos on our stairway wall leading upstairs. It just so happens to be near the hall light switch, the last light to be turned off before retiring for the night. My wife eventually confessed that she explained this to Shanon.
I've posted this photo of Shanon several times before on Hydroracer.net. I took it at the Williamsport, PA race in July 2005. It's one of my favorites. Something about the direct stare into the camera makes it compelling.
Craig, my thoughts and prayers are with you and the other members of Shanon's family. I am sorry for your loss.
My wife only went to a few boat races with me, instead allowing those trips to become "boys weekends" when one or both of our sons would travel and race with me. After accompanying me on one such rare weekend she told me she recognized Shanon and chatted with him.
My wife: "I told Shanon that I looked at his picture almost every night before I went to bed."
Me: <with a horrified look> "But you told him why, right?"
My wife: "Maybe."
The rest of the story: The year I took this photo of Shanon, I entered it in competition at our small, local county fair and it won a ribbon. The framed photo with ribbon is one of a collage of over a dozen photos on our stairway wall leading upstairs. It just so happens to be near the hall light switch, the last light to be turned off before retiring for the night. My wife eventually confessed that she explained this to Shanon.
Great photograph. I remember it from when it was posted back then. As an ‘older’ racer back then, Shanon was still beating the younger kids.
I had one of those George Bezoats tee-shirts. The image was a driver with a steering wheel in his hand dragging on the ground. Great memories.
Trying to fit between a rock and a hard place, Shanon Bowman (111-P, center-rear) goes airborne, rising up off the turn fin spray of Ryan Runne (4-Z, far left). Shanon disappeared behind a wall of spray and spectators had to wait for the rest of the 12 boat field to pass before learning his fate. Shanon's boat was damaged but from the water he signaled he was ok. Jeff Thompson (far right) went on to win the race.
C Stock Hydro, "Dash For Cash" final heat, first lap, first turn, Lock Haven, PA September 2007.
I spent an evening at Silver Lake NY , in the 70's,talking to Shannon and Craig. They expressed scepticism about opening Canadian ( non- twist top beer bottles). I showed them how to use a screwdriver or a wrench or a propeller or a flat rock out of the lake. Their scepticism did not prevent them from drinking every beer I opened.
Shannon was a legend in the sport, I am honored to have raced against him. The design and craftsmanship in his Bezoats will be remembered long after I am gone.
Could not agree more with what has been said. Racing against Shannon was the measuring stick. If you could hang with him, you had something. If you could beat him, you really had something good. Don't know very many that could outdrive him - that is rare air. But he was also one of my mentors on how to Ref a race (along with Nippy). And he was an even better friend off the water. Boats that were furniture.
Have been really missing him the last few years and now unfortunately, that will continue.
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