Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee Announces 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees
July 3, 2025 (St. John’s, NL) – The Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee is pleased to announce five new inductees into the Regatta Hall of Fame: James Carroll and Craig Whittle, in the category of Rower; Dr. Peter Hollett and The Newfoundland Broadcasting Company (CJON and NTV), in the category of Builder; and Crosbie Industrial Services Senior Men’s Crew, in the category of Crew.
“This year we have added five worthy inductees to the Regatta Hall of Fame,” said Ashley Peach, President of the Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee. “Our Hall of Fame is a place to honour those past and present who have contributed to the Royal St. John’s Regatta. As we join the rest of the Province in celebrating the Year of Sport, it is particularly poignant to take the opportunity to celebrate this year’s inductees, who have left their everlasting mark on the Royal St. John’s Regatta and the sport of fixed-seat rowing.”
The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be hosted by the City of St. John’s on Thursday, July 24th at Noon in The Foran Green Room, St. John’s City Hall.
The Royal St. John’s Regatta is the oldest continuing organized sporting event in North America, with 2025 marking the organizations’ 207th anniversary. The Year of Sport Royal St. John’s Regatta will take place on Wednesday, July 30th (weather permitting). More information about the Royal St. John’s Regatta, including details regarding operations, learn to row programs, learn to coxswain programs, and resources on how to establish a rowing team can be found at www.stjohnsregatta.com
-30-
Media Contact:
Keith White
Vice President & Captain of the Course
T: (709) 693-2722
BACKGROUNDER
The Hall of Fame Committee puts out a call for nominations in the spring of each year. The three categories are Rower/Crew, Coach/Coxswain, and Builder. The Committee receives and reviews applications, and certificates are presented at a special luncheon the week before the Regatta.
The 2025 Royal St. John’s Regatta Hall of Fame Committee members are: Don Kelly (Chair), Bob Whelan (Secretary), Brian Madore, Don Power, Mike Power, Wayne Purchase, Gail Malone, Chris Neary and Noelle Thomas-Kennell.
The Regatta Hall of Fame was established in 1987 with three objectives. The first is to recognize, honour and pay tribute to individuals or crews on the basis of ability, sportsmanship, character and achievement or extraordinary distinction in fixed seat rowing, whether amateur or professional.
The second is to recognize, honour and pay tribute to those individuals, groups or associations who have given distinguished service and who have made a major contribution to the development and advancement of fixed seat rowing in Newfoundland.
And the third is to encourage the development of all aspects of fixed seat rowing by permanently recording the achievements and history of such individuals, groups, associations, or crews.
BIOGRAPHIES
James Carroll
Jim Carroll began rowing at age 16 in 1978 and has since dedicated 47 years to the sport of fixed-seat rowing and the Royal St. John’s Regatta. He has participated in 30 regattas as a rower or coxswain and has been involved in 131 individual races. His career includes 4 Championship wins, multiple course records, and numerous top finishes across decades. Jim was named Oarsman of the Year in 1989 and Coxswain of the Year in 2002. He has coached and coxed countless crews, introduced new rowers to the sport, and continues to be a respected and trusted figure pondside.
Craig Whittle
Starting his rowing career in Placentia at age 13 in 1988, Craig Whittle has dedicated his life to the sport of fixed-seat rowing as a rower, crewmember, coach, and coxswain. As a rower, he has raced in a total of 34 championship races (St. John’s, Placentia and Harbour Grace), with 20 championship wins. Most impressively, he has 5 Triple Crowns to his name, and as a member of the Roger Bussey crew holds the fastest long course record rowed in any Regatta (Placentia) with a time of 8:49 in 2011 and the Harbour Grace record of 9:40 in 2012. Both of these records still stand. Craig has also demonstrated an unwavering commitment as a coach and coxswain, including Championship crews Hyflodraulic Women’s Crew (2019 and 2021) and Fine Strokes Senior Men’s Crew (2021 and 2023). His dedication to the rowing community is affirmed by his financial support and sponsorship through his business Fine Strokes Painting and Plastering.
Dr. Peter Hollett
Peter’s involvement in the Royal St. John’s Regatta began in 1977 as a rower with the Intermediate crew “Fun and Fast,” where he and his team were awarded by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 1992, he joined the Regatta Committee and served actively until 2018, when he was named an Honourary Life Member. He continued to serve as a Bottom of the Pond official until his passing in 2024. Through the course of his service to the Royal St. John’s Regatta, Peter served in many capacities:
- Medical Committee (1993–2003): Ensured participant health and safety.
- Rules Committee (20 years): As Chair, led the 2014 modernization of the Rules and Regulations, advancing fairness, gender equity, and inclusion.
- Safety Committee (from 2003): Strengthened operational safety for participants and committee members.
- 200th Regatta Committee: Contributed to strategic planning for the milestone celebration.
- Regatta Heraldry: Managed the design, production, and distribution of official crests for over a decade.
- Executive Leadership (2008–2011): Served as Director of Ways and Means, supporting financial and strategic planning.
- Chief Judge at the Bottom of the Pond (2012–2017): Oversaw approximately 1,800 races with fairness and integrity.
Over more than 33 years, Peter exemplified the spirit of the Builders category through his unwavering dedication, leadership, and service.
NTV
The Newfoundland Broadcasting Company (CJON and NTV) has been one of the Royal St. John’s Regatta’s greatest supporters over the past seven decades. It wasn’t long after CJON went on the air in this province, in September of 1955, that founder Geoff Stirling directed its full support to the Regatta. From annual live lakeside coverage to the donation of racing shells and team sponsorship, NTV’s support of the Royal St. John’s Regatta has been generous and unwavering. The company has supported many championship crews over the years, including the former short course record holders, OZ FM, still regarded as one of the greatest women’s crews of all time. The “Kim Stirling Memorial Trophy”, given annually to Women’s Championship team was donated by the Stirling family in memory of Stirling’s daughter who rowed in the Regatta. As a dedicated champion of the Regatta, Scott Stirling – President and CEO of NTV – continues to sponsor teams, donate shells and help in countless other ways to help fund the sport 70 years on.
Crosbie Industrial Services Senior Men’s Crew
The crew—Brent Hickey, Adam Kavanagh, Ron Whitten, Ed Williams, James Cadigan, and Darryl Ryan—was coached by Bert Hickey and coxed by Mark Hayward. Having secured the championship title in the Royal St. John’s Regatta in 2006, they returned with even greater determination, once again securing the championship and breaking the course record not once, but twice that day, ultimately setting a new benchmark long course time of 8:51.32—a record that still stands. For this historic achievement, they were awarded the prestigious Lord Warden’s Medals, recognizing their record-breaking performance. This crew’s legacy is defined not only by their back-to-back championships and enduring course record but also by their impact on the Regatta community. They elevated the standard for men’s rowing in Newfoundland and Labrador and continue to inspire future generations of rowers.
