Lynn Novakofski and Keith St. Onge both call Winter Haven home.
Both men are known the world over for their accomplishments on the water, and now both are being recognized once again for their deeds.
Novakofski, a pioneer of show skiing while at Cypress Gardens, and St. Onge, a multiple-time, world-champion barefoot water skier, are going into the International Water Ski & Wakeboard Federation Hall of Fame in April.
It seems only fitting that Novakofski, 80, and St. Onge, 46, go in to the IWWF HOF together. The men are practically neighbors, living two blocks from each other, and they both are revered the world over. They even share the same birthday, Dec. 31.
They hold each other in high esteem as well.
“He’s the greatest barefoot water skier of all time,” Novakofski said of St. Onge.
“Lynn to me is the godfather of show skiing and water sports all around,” St. Onge said. “He developed a lot of the things you see on the water these days. Doubles skiing, different pyramids, different jumps, he thought all this stuff up. He’s a legend to so many of us. I’m humbled to go into the hall of fame with him the same year. It’s pretty cool.”