World Rowing announces finalists for 2015 Thomas Keller Medal

The 2015 finalists for the most prestigious medal awarded in rowing, the Thomas Keller Medal, have been decided by the World Rowing Federation, FISA.

Created in 1990, the Thomas Keller Medal award celebrates athletes who have had an outstanding career in rowing, have shown exemplary sportsmanship and technical mastery of the sport as well as symbolise a legendary aspect both in and outside of their rowing career. Following public nominations, the shortlist was decided by FISA’s council and commission members. These are, in alphabetical order:

• Caroline (Meyer) and Georgina Evers-Swindell (Earl), New Zealand
• Caryn Davies, United States
• Greg Searle, Great Britain
• Itzok Cop, Slovenia
• Rob Waddell, New Zealand
• Rossano Galtarossa, Italy

SHORTLIST BIOS

Caroline (Meyer) and Georgina Evers-Swindell (Earl) – New Zealand
Identical twins Caroline and Georgina retired in 2008 as two-time Olympic Champions. At Beijing they successfully defended their title in the women’s double sculls. This was the first time in the history of Olympic rowing that the women’s double sculls title had been successfully defended. Their success began in 2002 with a World Champion title and, as the Evers-Swindell’s success continued to grow, they inspired many New Zealanders to start rowing.

Caryn Davies – United States

Caryn Davies is described as the epitome of the scholar-athlete. Having earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Harvard University in 2005 and a Doctor of Law from Columbia University in 2013 she also became an Olympic Champion twice and a four-time World Champion between 2002 and 2012. She has stroked the USA women’s eight repeatedly since its winning streak began in 2006 and helped the boat set two World Best Times. Now studying for an MBA at Oxford University, Great Britain, Davies recently stroked the women’s Oxford boat to victory in the 2015 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.

Greg Searle – Great Britain

Between 1990 and 2000 Greg Searle raced at three Olympic Games and at seven World Rowing Championships. During this time he won two Olympic medals and five World Championship medals in a variety of sweep boat classes, from the eight to the four to the coxed pair, as well as in one sculling event, the men’s single sculls. Following a fourth-place finish in the men’s pair at the Sydney Games, Searle retired from the sport for nine years, only to come back and compete at the highest level of competition in his late thirties. Winning yet another two World Championship medals and one Olympic medal between the ages of 37 and 40, he put a final end to his rowing career at the London 2012 Olympic Games, 20 years after competing at his first Olympic Games in 1992.

Iztok Cop – Slovenia

Slovenian sporting legend Iztok Cop had a career that spanned more than two decades and included six Olympic Games and 16 World Rowing Championships. Cop’s success began as a junior when he rowed for Yugoslavia. He won two Junior World Championship titles, the first in 1989, then again in 1990.

At the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, Cop became the first Olympic medallist for the newly-independent Slovenia in the men’s pair. At the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, he and partner Luka Spik became Olympic Champions in the men’s double sculls. This partnership continued through the next three Olympic Games with Cop adding silver and bronze to his Olympic collection. Of the 12 World Championship medals that Cop won, four were gold.

Rob Waddell – New Zealand

Rob Waddell was a successful single sculler who won Olympic gold in 2000 and two World Championship golds in 1998 and 1999 while having a heart condition. Waddell was been named Chef de Mission for the New Zealand Teams for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and also has the role for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Rob is currently a senior member of New Zealand’s Americas Cup sailing team.  

Rossano Galtarossa – Italy

Rossano Galtarossa had a rowing career that began in 1989 as a junior and finished in 2012. During this time he competed at ten World Rowing Championships (medalling eight times and becoming a World Champion four times), and at five Olympic Games (winning four Olympic medals including one gold). In 2012, at the age of 41, he was the spare rower at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Since November 2012 Galtarossa has been a member of the Italian Rowing Federation Board.

The winner will be announced in July at the 2015 World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland. During the award ceremony, an 18-carat gold medal will be bestowed by Dominik Keller, the son of FISA’s former president Thomas Keller, to the winner.

For a full list of winners, please click here. http://www.worldrowing.com/athletes/thomas-keller-medal