Griffo Accepts Adirondack Challenge - Plans to Best Governor and Other Also-Rans

July 20, 2013

State Senator Joseph A. Griffo (R-C-IP, Rome) today expressed confidence that the Senate’s team entry into the First Annual Adirondack Challenge would prevail over the rest of the field of raft-racing participants.

This Sunday, Griffo will be part of a six-person raft, participating in the Indian River raft race which will pit them against Governor Andrew Cuomo and other teams of legislators and officials from across New York. Griffo will row with a team that includes Senate Majority Coalition Co-Leader Jeff Klein (D-Westchester/Bronx) and Senator David Valesky (D-Oneida).

“While I’d like to believe the Governor and his staff when they say that they’re not taking the event seriously,” Griffo said with a smile. “We’ve heard the whispers about their secret training sessions; we’ve been told rumors about their strict, fortified, dietary regimen, and there’s an internet story floating around about the Governor using his connections to have a state-of-the-art, custom-made, carbon-fiber raft for his crew.” Griffo quipped, “My colleagues and I are ignoring all that chatter and we will do what we always do: we’ll bring energy, effort and enthusiasm to the race and may the best team prevail.”

Governor Cuomo had issued the race challenge this past January, in his State of the State speech. The Adirondack Challenge will be a two day-long festival with food, music and water races. Sunday’s three-mile, whitewater race will involve Griffo and the Senate team in a raft against Governor Cuomo’s team. The State Assembly is expected to field a squad and other crews comprised of agency officials from across the state, from the North Country to Long Island, will also compete. Monday’s race will pit the Governor’s team against one with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and staff.

Griffo, a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation and whose district includes a small portion of the Adirondack Park said, “This is a great way to bring attention to some of the many of recreational options that’s available in the region. For some of the racers, this will be their first time in the Park. They’ll see for themselves, pristine waterways that they’ve only seen before on television.”

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