FISA, the International Rowing Federation, has announced the recipients of the 2003 FISA Awards.
The award for 2003 FISA Male Rower or Crew of the Year will be presented to 2003 World Champion men's pair of James Tomkins and Drew Ginn of Australia. Tomkins is a three time Olympic Games medallist and seven time World Championships gold medallist. Ginn won an Olympic gold medal with Tomkins in the men's four in Atlanta in 1996 and has also won five World Championships medals.
New Zealand sisters Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell who sculled to a second consecutive World Championships title in 2003 in the women's double will be awarded the 2003 FISA Female Rower or Crew of the Year Award.
The 2003 FISA Coach of the Year award will go to Giuseppe La Mura, Technical Director of the Italian Rowing Federation since 1993. La Mura's athletes, including the legendary Abbagnale brothers, have won 15 World Championships gold and three Olympic gold medals
The 2003 FISA Distinguished Service to Rowing Medal will be awarded to Thor Nilsen of Norway. Currently FISA's Development Director, Nilsen is also honorary chairman of the Competitive Rowing Commission and has served both on FISA's Council and Executive Committee. Nilsen was also president of the Swedish Rowing Federation from 1994 to 1997. A world renowned rowing coach, Nilsen has developed national training centres in several countries and has also served as national rowing coach in Norway and Sweden as well as Technical Director and head coach for Spain and Italy. His coaching results include over 30 World Championships gold medals and 8 Olympic gold medals.
The medals will be presented to the recipients at the annual FISA Coaches Conference which takes place in Athens, Greece from November 6 to 9.