Kiwis scoop top global rowing awards

New Zealand rowing has been recognised in the annual FISA awards with legends of the past and present scooping two of the sport’s top global honours.

Four-time World Champion Mahé Drysdale was announced as FISA’s Male Rower of the Year after a stellar season in which he enjoyed an unbeaten run that included the two World Cup Regattas at Munich and Lucerne, the Diamond Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta and the World Championship in Poznan, Poland.

Drysdale raced in the New Zealand four in the Athens Olympics before switching to the single scull. In addition to his Olympic bronze in Beijing, achieved despite severe dehydration from illness, he has been unbeaten in World Championship single scull finals since 2005.

Kiwi rowing legend Don Rowlands took out the 2009 World Rowing Distinguished Service to International Rowing Award. Rowlands was the chairman of the 1978 World Championship Organising Committee in New Zealand. Many consider this to be one of the best ever championships. His outstanding performance with the New Zealand organising committee earned him the Olympic Order medal in 1982.

He has dedicated decades of service to rowing in Oceania and is an Honorary FISA Council Member. Rowlands is a former New Zealand rower. He has a silver and gold medal from the 1950 and 1951 British Empire Games in the men’s eight and competed in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. He is still very actively involved in the sport.

Multiple world championship gold medal winning coach Dick Tonks and the New Zealand men’s pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond had also been in the running as finalists.

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