More USRowing Awards

USRowing has announced two new award recipients, who will receive their prizes at the Golden Oars Award Dinner in New York on 30 November. Bill Stowe (on the left), oarsman, coach, leader, and author, will receive the Jack Kelly Award, while the organisation Row New York is the recipient of the USRowing Anita DeFrantz Award, a newly established award which will, according to USRowing’s web site “be given annually to honor leaders in diversity and inclusion”.

The Jack Kelly Award, named after Jack Kelly Jr, ‘Kell’, is “given to outstanding individuals who represent the ideals which Jack Kelly exemplified”, it is also said that “the award recognizes superior achievements in rowing, service to amateur athletics, and success in their chosen profession, thereby serving as an inspiration to American rowers”.

In USRowing’s press release Stowe is quoted saying: “I think it’s very kind. Kell was a good friend, and this award is very much appreciated. It’s exciting. I’m looking forward to being recognized in New York at the dinner.” Stowe has written a book, All Together (2005), about the Vesper eight, which took a gold medal at the 1964 Olympic rowing. Stowe was in the stroke seat in that boat. Read more about Bill Stowe and his career here.

Row New York, which has been named the first recipient of Anita DeFrantz Award, started nine years ago to make rowing accessible to young people from the city’s urban neighborhood who maybe otherwise would not have the opportunity to try the sport. “The program provides both athletic and academic opportunities to over 300 young people from New York’s under-resourced communities and is a leader in the effort to increase minority participation in rowing,” USRowing’s website states.

Amanda Kraus, Executive Director of Row New York, said that the organisation is “thrilled to be recognized for these efforts by USRowing.”

The award is named in honor of Anita DeFrantz (on the right), who won a bronze medal in the U.S. women’s eight in the 1976 Olympics, the first time women were allowed to compete in rowing. DeFrantz was the U.S. rowing team’s captain. “She has been, and continues to be, a leader and advocate for women’s inclusion in sport. In 1986, the International Olympic Committee appointed DeFrantz to lifetime membership”.

Read more about DeFrantz, who was inducted in the National Rowing Hall of Fame in 2010, and the award here.

For more information about the Golden Oars Awards Dinner, click here. To purchase a ticket or secure a table, please click here.