Awards presented for 2022 contribution to the GB Rowing Team

GB Rowing Team Final Trials last weekend finished with a special award ceremony

Congratulations to all of the below who have been recognised for their performances for the Great Britain Rowing Team in the past year. The following awards were presented in a ceremony held at Caversham after Final Trials on 16 April.

British Olympic Association Athletes of the Year

Awarded to a male and a female athlete who uphold the BOA’s values of  pride, unity, responsibility and respect

Rebecca Shorten: After her fourth place in Tokyo, Rebecca enjoyed an unbeaten season in 2022, culminating in a standout performance at the 2022 World Championships in Racice in the Women’s Four. She has been a leading athlete in her discipline for a number of years, is a role model for female rowers, current and developing, and has been a positive influencer in both unifying our successful women’s squad and leading our Women’s Four to an outstanding Gold medal. She has kick-started her 2023 season as National Small Boat Champion in the Women’s Pair after winning final trials with Helen Glover.

James Rudkin: A member of the team since 2017, James won an Olympic Bronze in the Men’s Eight in Tokyo and is current World and European Champion. In the 2022 season he was a key athlete in the team both in and out of the boat. He adds value to any crew he is in with his calm and pragmatic approach to rowing and has been athlete rep this season developing his own quiet style of leadership.  He still has strong ties with his university, recently representing Newcastle at the Head of the River Race.

Brian Young

Dan Topolski Award

Recognises the work of a leading development coach

Brian Young: Brian has worked to support and develop numerous young athletes to achieve international success. Initially coaching at Latymer Upper School and then at the University of London BC and most recently supporting the GB U23 programme with the US based athlete cohort each summer when they return to the UK in June. He has regularly coached medal winning U23 crews over the last decade, with the highlight being the impressive and dominant winning performance of the U23 Men’s Eight in Sarasota in 2019. He backed this up again with another gold medal crew in 2022 with the U23 Men’s Coxed Four, who produced a world best time in the final in Varese.

Brian also works selflessly to support and develop new coaches across the development programmes, who often, are experiencing their first-time coaching at this level.

Mark Lees Award

Presented to up and coming female and male rowers 

Callum Dixon

Callum Dixon: A former Start athlete developed in the Twickenham programme by Helen Brown, Callum came to the fore in 2021, winning GB’s first ever gold at the European Rowing U23 Championships in Kruszwica, Poland in the U23 Men’s Double with Nathan Hull.

In 2022 he developed more speed and raced as a senior at World Cup 1 and World Cup 3 in the Men’s Single Sculls. A highlight of his 2022 season was winning the prestigious Holland Beker Men’s Single in Amsterdam in June. After an exceptional 2022 season, Callum is now based fully within the senior squad and is clearly one to watch in men’s sculling.

Katherine George: Currently studying in the US, Katherine started her rowing career at Cheltenham Ladies College, but really came to the fore in 2021 while taking a gap year at Leander Club when she was selected in the U23 Women’s Double for the World Rowing U23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic, finishing a very creditable fifth overall at her first championships.

In 2022 she returned from her first year at Princeton, full of confidence, determined to make a step forward with her sculling and this time partnered with Vwaire Obukohwo to win a bronze medal in the Women’s Double at the World Rowing U23 Championships in Varese, Italy.

Tom Young

Staff Recognition: Blade Presentation

Tom Young:  Took over at the Start centre based at Strathclyde Park in 2017 following a successful period coaching at Edinburgh University. He developed a strong programme during the past six years, identifying and developing a number of athletes, including last season having athletes selected at both the U19 Worlds and U23 Europeans. Tom is now stepping into a new role of Lead Performance Pathway Coach with Scottish Rowing.