Awards presented for 2022 contribution to the GB Rowing Team
GB Rowing Team Final Trials last weekend finished with a special award ceremony
Rebecca Shorten and James Rudkin
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鈥檚 values of聽 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 squad and leading our Women鈥檚 Four to an outstanding Gold medal. She has kick-started her 2023 season as National Small Boat Champion in the Women鈥檚 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鈥檚 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. 聽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鈥檚 Eight in Sarasota in 2019. He backed this up again with another gold medal crew in 2022 with the U23 Men鈥檚 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聽
颁补濒濒耻尘听顿颈虫辞苍
Callum Dixon: A former Start athlete developed in the Twickenham programme by Helen Brown, Callum came to the fore in 2021, winning GB鈥檚 first ever gold at the European Rowing U23 Championships in Kruszwica, Poland in the U23 Men鈥檚 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鈥檚 Single Sculls. A highlight of his 2022 season was winning the prestigious Holland Beker Men鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 Double at the World Rowing U23 Championships in Varese, Italy.
Tom Young
Staff Recognition: Blade Presentation
Tom Young:聽 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聽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.
