THE strength of Tasmanian rowing was amply demonstrated by the state's dominance at Rowing Australia's annual awards last night where lightweight stalwart Anthony Edwards was crowned rowers' rower of the year.
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On a day when Tasmania also won 10 medals at the national championships in Perth, Edwards became the seventh Australian rower to receive the prestigious honour.
The New Norfolk 39-year-old was also named in the 2011 crew of the year, the lightweight men's four also featuring Lindisfarne's Sam Beltz and Hobart-based West Australians Ben Cureton and Todd Skipworth that won gold at the world championships, while their coach Brett Crow picked up coach of the year.
There was further Tasmanian acknowledgment with New Norfolk's Kerry Hore and Victorian sculling crewmate Kim Crow winning the female crew of the year.
Australian team manager Ray Ebert, of Queensland, won the volunteer of the year award.
Edwards, a popular member of the Australian team, had won five world championship medals and three Olympic medals, but never a gold before his success in Slovenia last year.
The lightweight men's four was recognised by many pundits as the best performed crew at the championships in Bled, as they soared to gold in emphatic style.
Their winning margin of 1.23 seconds was the largest margin since the 2006 regatta at Eton in England and the first time Australia had triumphed in the lightweight men's four since 1981.
Rowing Australia president Colin Smith said all award winners were worthy of their tremendous achievements in 2011.
``Anthony Edwards has been one of Australia's finest rowing servants over the past two decades and the entire team and all of Australia's rowing supporters were overjoyed at the success of the lightweight men's four,'' Smith said.
``Alongside the gold medals also won by the men's quad scull and the lightweight men's eight, it was a very tough decision in separating all three crews in the decision of male crew of the year.
``Kim Crow and Kerry Hore have enjoyed tremendous success over the past two years and they went extremely close to defeating the British in Slovenia and were fully deserving in retaining their female crew of the year award from 2010.
``The team has built very well over the past three years and I am sure that we will have many more successes to enjoy over the coming year.''
