Athletes Around the World Honoured for 2001 Achievements

The end of 2001 has been the occasion for many countries to honour their athletes, and rowers around the world have been keeping in the public eye, even while away from the water.

In Italy, 2001 lightweight double sculls world champions Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari were amongst those cited for the 2001 Sports Oscars of the Italian daily sports newspaper – the "Gazzetta dello Sport". With 265 points the rowing duo took tenth place. They were up against numerous Italian sports teams, including the Ferrari Formula 1 team, which took first place with 580 points and Rome football team, second with 435 points.

Luini and Pettinari, together with Daniele Gilardoni, Luca Moncada, Mauro Baccelli and Filippo Mannucci (lightweight men’s quad world champions) had already been selected for rowing at another annual event – the "Gran Gala dello Sport" in which the best athletes of the year in every sport were honoured in early December.

In North America, Rowing Canada Aviron presented its 2001 awards to athletes, coaches and contributors to the sport of rowing in Canada at its Annual General Meeting in Kingston, Ontario.

Honours awarded included the President's Award, which is decided by Rowing Canada's president. The award was presented this year to former Olympic and World medallists Marnie McBean, Kathleen Heddle (former FISA athletes commission chairwoman) and Derek Porter. FISA umpiring commission member Guylaine Bernier was awarded the Official of the Year award.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell – double silver medallists at the 2001 World Championships, and fellow quad partners Paula Twining and Sonia Waddell have been nominated for the sports team of the year award.

A coach of the year award is also to be granted to one of four nominees which include New Zealand rowing coach Richard Tonks who coached three crews to silver in the 2001 FISA World Rowing Championships.

The winners of the men’s, women’s and team categories will be considered for the selection of the overall winner of the Hallberg award. The award ceremony will be held in Wellington, New Zealand on February 28.