Press Release - Rowing ? FISA Announces Thomas Keller Medal Finalists

The International Rowing Federation (FISA) has announced this year’s five finalists for the highest honour in the sport of rowing; the Thomas Keller Medal for an “outstanding career in rowing”.

The nominees are:

Agostino ABBAGNALE (Italy): three time Olympic Gold medallist in Seoul (M4x), Atlanta (M2x) and Sydney (M4x).

James CRACKNELL (Great Britain): member of Sir Steve Redgrave’s famous gold medalling four in Sydney, and World Best time holder in the M2- since 2001.

Juri JAANSON (Estonia): talented and determined single sculler.

Elisabeta LIPA (Romania): six-time Olympian and eight-time Olympic medalist.

Katrin RUTSCHOW-STOMPOROWSKI (Germany): two time Olympic gold medallist in the single scull and the quadruple sculls

The finalists were selected by the FISA Council and Commission members during their annual meeting in London this week-end from a list of ten nominees. These nominations were received openly from the world of rowing for the first time in the history of the award.

The winner of the 2006 medal will be selected by the Thomas Keller Medal Committee and will be awarded during the Rowing World Cup regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland on 9 July 2006. He or she will be presented with an 18-carat gold medal to be handed over by Dominik Keller, son of the late Thomas Keller, former President of FISA.

The Thomas Keller Medal has been established as the highest honour in the sport of rowing and is presented to recognise an outstanding rowing career as well as exemplary sportsmanship.

Full biographies of each of the nominees can be found in the biography section of www.worldrowing.com.

For more information please contact Marion Gallimore, FISA Marketing and Communications Manager at marion.gallimore@fisa.org or tel.: +41 21 617 83 73.

Previous recipients of the Thomas Keller Medal are:

1990  Alf Hansen (NOR)  
1991 Thomas Greiner (GER)  
1994 Yuri Pimenov (RUS)
1996 Francesco Esposito (ITA) 
1996 Nikolai Pimenov (RUS) 
1996 Rolf Thorsen (NOR)
1997 Giuseppe Abbagnale (ITA)
1997 Carmine Abbagnale (ITA)
1997 Jana Sorgers (GER)
1997 Thomas Lange (GER)
1998  Kerstin Koeppen (GER)
1998 Roland Baar (GER)
1999 Silken Laumann (CAN)
1999 Kathleen Heddle (CAN)
2001 Steve Redgrave (GBR)
2002 Marnie McBean (CAN)
2003 Peter Antonie (AUS)
2004 Nico Rienks (NED)
2005 Matthew Pinsent (GBR)