2015 World Rowing Award finalists announced

For immediate release
Lausanne, 20 October 2015

The World Rowing Federation, FISA, is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2015 World Rowing Awards. These finalists showcase the personalities who have excelled in 2015 with awards in five categories including the best men’s and women’s crew, the best para-rowing crew, the best coaches and a special award for service to rowing.

The list of nominees was formed through a public nomination process and then the finalists were decided by the FISA Council.

Finalists for 2015 World Rowing Female Crew of the Year

• Katelin Snyder, Heidi Robbins, Tessa Gobbo, Kerry Simmonds, Emily Regan, Lauren Schmetterling, Amanda Polk, Meghan Musnicki, Victoria Opitz, Women’s eight (United States) – World Champions for 2015 and the crew that earned a record tenth straight win for the US women’s eight.
• Kim Crow, Women’s single sculls (Australia) – Unbeaten this season, Crow dominated in all of her races and finished the season as the World Champion.
• Heather Stanning, Helen Glover, Women’s pair (Great Britain) – They completed an unbeaten season which included becoming European and World Champions and holding their 2014 World Best Time.

Finalists for 2015 World Rowing Male Crew of the Year

• Jeremie Azou & Stany Delayre, Lightweight men’s double sculls (France) – After finishing fourth at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Azou and Delayre have been building their boat speed and they not only became World Champions for the first time at the senior level, but they were unbeaten this season.
• Mario Gyr, Simon Niepmann, Simon Schuerch & Lucas Tramer, Lightweight men’s four (Switzerland) – This crew came back together after racing in smaller boats for the last couple of seasons. They reunited to become the European and World Champions.
• Martin & Valent Sinkovic, Men’s double sculls (Croatia) – Unbeaten since they joined up in the double in 2014, the Sinkovic brothers came back from Valent’s early season injury to dominate the double.

Finalists for 2015 World Rowing Para-rowing Crew of the Year

• Gavin Bellis & Kathryn Ross, Para TA mixed double sculls (Australia) – They have won every major race since 2013 and are the reigning World Champions as well as the 2013 Para-rowing Crew of the Year. 
• Erik Horrie, Para AS men’s single sculls (Australia) – The 2014 Para-rowing Crew of the Year, Horrie has not lost a major race since finishing with silver at the 2012 Paralympic Games.
• Moran Samuel, Para AS women’s single sculls (Israel) – Samuel finished second at the World Rowing Championships in 2014 and came back to complete an unbeaten 2015 season.

Finalists for 2015 World Rowing Coach of the Year

• Alexis Besancon (France) – Coach of French lightweight rowing since 2008, Besancon coached the lightweight men’s double sculls to World Championship gold this year.
• Nikola Bralic (Croatia) – Coach of the Sinkovic brothers who have gone unbeaten for the last three years as quad and double scullers.
• Ian Wright (Switzerland) – Head coach for Switzerland helping to bring the lightweight men’s four to World Champion status.

Finalists for 2015 World Rowing Distinguished Services to international Rowing

• John Boultbee (Australia) – Secretary General of FISA from 1989-1995 and has also served as chair of FISA’s competitive rowing commission as well as a member of the FISA council and executive committee.
• Klaus Filter (Germany) – A master boat builder who revolutionised boat building. Also served as a FISA commission chair and on the FISA council.
• Borge Kaas-Andersen (Denmark) – Rower, coach and international umpire, Kaas-Andersen has also been president of the Danish National Rowing Federation and the umpiring  commission chair, a member of the FISA Council and sat on the FISA executive committee.
• Magdalena Sarbachova (Czech Republic) – A successful rower, Sarbachova went on to be a FISA commission chair and Council member as well as professionally engaged with Czech rowing for many years.

The award winners will be announced on 20 November 2015 and then the winners will be presented with their award on 21 November in Sarasota, Florida, USA at the 2015 World Rowing Coaches Conference gala dinner.