PRESS RELEASE: World Rowing announces finalists for 2014 World Rowing Awards

For immediate release
Lasuanne, 09 October 2014

The finalists for the World Rowing Awards highlight the best of the year in rowing including the best men’s and women’s crews, the best Para-rowing crews, the best coaches and a special award for service to rowing. The list of nominees was narrowed down by the FISA Council following an initial public nomination process.

Finalists for 2014 World Rowing Female Crew of the Year
Eveline Peleman (BEL, Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls, LW1x)
At her first-ever senior championships, Eveline Peleman won a gold medal.

Annekatrin Thiele, Carina Baer, Julia Lier, Lisa Schmidla (GER, Women’s Quadruple Sculls, W4x)
Germany’s women’s quad successfully defended their World Championship title and also set a new World Best Time in 2014.

Sophie Mackenzie, Julia Edward (NZL, Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls, LW2x)
Coming together just two weeks before the World Rowing Championships, this boat took everyone by surprise by winning gold and setting a new World Best Time.

Emma Twigg (NZL, Women’s Single Sculls, W1x)
Emma Twigg went unbeaten in 2014 rounding it off with her first senior World Championship title. 

Finalists for 2014 World Rowing Male Crew of the Year
Martin and Valent Sinkovic (CRO, Men’s Double Sculls, M2x)
Martin and Valent Sinkovic swept up gold at World Rowing Cups II and III before taking the World Championship title and setting a new World Best Time.

Kasper Winther, Jacob Larsen, Jacon Barsoe, Morten Joergensen (DEN, Lightweight Men’s Four, LM4-)
Denmark’s lightweight four successfully defended both the European and World Championship titles this year and set a new World Best Time.

Georgios Konsolas, Spyridon Giannaros, Panagiotis Magdanis, Eleftherios Konsolas (GRE, Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls, LM4x)
In 2014 the Greek lightweight men’s quadruple sculls walked away with their second consecutive World Championship title.

Eric Murray, Hamish Bond (NZL, Men’s Pair, M2-)
The unbeaten duo of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond not only won the World Championships in the men’s pair in 2014, but also in the men’s coxed pair, setting the new World Best Time.

Finalists for 2014 World Rowing Para Crew of the Year
Erik Horrie (AUS, AS Men’s Single Sculls, ASM1x)
In 2013, Eric Horrie won his first World Rowing Championships and he retained his title in 2014.

Gavin Bellis, Kathryn Ross (AUS, TA Mixed Double Sculls, TAMix2x)
Gavin Bellis and Kathryn Ross came through in 2013 to win gold at the World Rowing Championships and they retained their title in 2014.

Birgit Skarstein (NOR, AS Women’s Single Sculls, ASW1x)
Skarstein proved her dominance at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam by taking home the World Championship title.

Finalists for 2014 World Rowing Coach of the Year
Roger Barrow (RSA)
High performance manager for South Africa, this year reaching seven A-finals out of eight entries with a gold medal in the lightweight men’s double sculls and a bronze in the men’s pair.

Bent Fransson (DEN)
Denmark’s ‘golden four’ has been coached by Bent Fransson since 2007. This year they successfully defended their World and European Champion titles.

Gianni Postiglione (ITA, GRE, LTU and RSA)
A truly international coach, Gianni Postiglione has helped Italy, Greece, South Africa and Lithuania find medal-winning success. He has been to seven Olympic Games and 31 World Rowing Championships.

Finalists for 2014 World Rowing Distinguished Services to International Rowing
John Boultbee (AUS)
John Boultbee was Secretary General of FISA from 1989 to 1995, Chair of FISA’s Competitive Rowing Commission from 1998 to 2014, a FISA Council member from 1998 to 2014 (except for the period 1995 to 1998) and an Executive Committee member from 2004 to 2014.

Peter Morrison (GBR)
Peter Morrison was Chair of the Masters Commission, a leader in Scottish rowing as well as a FISA umpire and a FISA Council member.

Denis Oswald (SUI)
Denis Oswald was President of FISA for 25 years following 11 years as Secretary General. He participated in three Olympic Games, including a medal at the 1968 Olympic Games. He is an IOC member, former President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations for 12 years and Chairman of the Coordination Commissions for both Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

The award winners will be publically announced and the winners presented with their awards on 8 November 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the 2014 World Rowing Coaches Conference gala dinner.

For the full article on the finalists, click here.

For more information on the World Rowing Awards, click  here.