Impressive shortlist for 2011 World Rowing Awards

First time World Champions and lightweight single scullers, Henrik Stephansen of Denmark and Fabiana Beltrame of Brazil are both on their respective shortlist for the World Rowing Male and Female Crew of the Year. Two-time recipient of the World Rowing Adaptive Crew of the Year, Great Britain’s Tom Aggar has again been shortlisted. The award for Distinguished Service to International Rowing includes a number of people well-known for their positions on FISA commissions.

The annual World Rowing Awards began with chance for the public to nominate for the awards following the World Rowing Championships. This year nearly 2000 people made online nominations which resulted in the widest ever selection of nominees for the 2011 Awards.

The nomination list was then paired down to a shortlist by the FISA Council and then the final decision of choosing the winners will be made by the FISA Executive Committee. The winners will then be announced at the Gala Dinner during the World Rowing Coaches Conference in Varese, Italy on 11 November, 2011.

2011 World Rowing Coach of the Year

–          Dick Tonks (New Zealand) – Head coach for New Zealand

–          Gianni Postiglione (Italy) – Head coach for Greece

–          Tomas Kacovsky (CZE) – Coach of World Champion women’s single sculler, Mirka Knapkova

2011 World Rowing Male Crew of the Year

–          Henrik Stephansen (World Champion lightweight men’s single sculls, Denmark)

–          Eric Murray, Hamish Bond (World Champion men’s pair, New Zealand)

–          Gregor Hauffe, Andreas Kuffner, Eric Johannesen, Maximilian Reinelt, Richard Schmidt, Lukas Mueller, Florian Mennigen, Kristof Wilke, Martin Sauer (World Champion men’s eight, Germany)

2011 World Rowing Female Crew of the Year