14 December 2021

Presentation of the 2021 World Rowing Awards finalists.

After having asked for public nominations, the World Rowing Executive Committee has selected the finalists based on the analysis of expert panels created for each of the awards. The 2021 World Rowing Awards will be held virtually on Saturday, 29 January 2022, at 12:00 CET.

Here are the finalists for the 2021 World Rowing Awards (listed in alphabetical order of the country name).

Women’s Crew of the Year

• Yunxia Chen, Ling Zhang, Yang Lyu, Xiaotong Cui, W4x (China)
• Emma Twigg, W1x (New Zealand)
• Ancuta Bodnar, Simona Radis, W2x (Romania)

Men’s Crew Of The Year

• Hugo Boucheron, Matthieu Androdias, M2x (France)
• Fintan McCarthy, Paul O’Donovan, LM2x (Ireland)
• Dirk Uittenbogaard, Abe Wiersma, Tone Wieten, Koen Metsemakers, M4x (The Netherlands)
• Thomas Mackintosh, Hamish Bond, Tom Murray, Michael Brake, Daniel Williamson, Philip Wilson, Shaun Kirkham, Matt Macdonald, Sam Bosworth, M8+ (New Zealand)

Para Rowing Crew of the Year

• Lauren Rowles, Lawrence Whiteley, PR2Mix2x (Great Britain)
• Birgit Skarstein, PR1W1x (Norway)
• Roman Polianskyi, PR1M1x (Ukraine)

Coach of the Year

• John Keogh (Australia)
• Michelle Darvill (Canada)
• Xiuyun Zhang (China)
• Johan Flodin (Norway)

Thomas Keller Medal – for a rower who has had a long and successful rowing career and who has made an outstanding contribution to rowing as a competitor and as a sports personality

• Ekaterina Karsten (Belarus)
• Mahe Drysdale (New Zealand)
• Olaf Tufte (Norway)

Distinguished Service to International Rowing – dedicated to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to develop international rowing. The winner of the Distinguished Service Award will be announced at the time of the Awards Ceremony.

Sustainability Award – for an organisation that has implemented an innovative project or initiative delivering a clear and positive sustainability impact. The Executive Committee has decided not to award a Sustainability Award this year.