Slovenia's Luka Spik and Iztok Cop designated 2005 FISA Rowing Male Crew of the Year

Iztok Cop and Luka Spik of Slovenia at the World Rowing Championships in Gifu, Japan, 2005

Iztok Cop and Luka Spik of Slovenia are the 2005 FISA Rowing Male Crew of the Year, the International Rowing Federation (FISA) announced today.

Cop and Spik won medals in two events at this year's World Rowing Championships; gold medals in the men's double sculls and silver medals in the men's quadruple sculls.

Iztok Cop, the 33-year old rower, is the most successful athlete in his country, and has received all the highest sporting awards in Slovenia. He received his first medal (gold) in the junior men's pair at the 1989 World Rowing Junior Championships. His first World Championship medal was at the 1991 World Championships where he received silver in the men's pair. He won the men's pair bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games, was 1995 World Champion in the men's single sculls, came 4th in the single sculls in Atlanta in 1996, was Olympic Champion in Sydney in 2000 and then won a silver in Athens in double sculls. He has remained consistently in the top rankings of international rowing in both sweep and sculling boats, finishing on the podium consistently in all World Rowing Championships since 1999. He is married and has two daughters (Ruby-2 years, Amber-5 months), and lives in Radovljica near Bled in Slovenia.

Luka Spik, 26, has also been honoured with all the highest sports awards in Slovenia. He received his first World Junior Championship medal (silver) in the junior men's single scull in 1995 at the age of 16 and was the youngest participant in rowing at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta where he participated in the men's double sculls. His first World Championship medal was in 1999, when him and Cop, already a winning team, won the gold in the men's double sculls. He partnered with Iztok Cop in Sydney (gold) and in Athens (silver) in the men's double scull. He lives in Lipnica near Bled in Slovenia.

The medals will be presented at the Gala Dinner of the 2005 World Rowing Forum in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday 5 November.

For complete bio information on Cop and Spik, visit FISA's athlete biography and results website at www.rowingone.com.