Rowing: Drysdale scoops top award

Mahe Drysdale has been named world rower of the year. Photo / Getty Images

Mahe Drysdale has capped a superb year by being named world male rower of the year.

The four-time world champion made light of his opposition in an unbeaten run this season that included the two World Cup titles at Munich and Lucerne, the Diamond Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta and the world title at Poznan, Poland.

Drysdale raced in the New Zealand four in the Athens Olympics before switching to the single scull.

In addition to his Olympic bronze in Beijing, achieved despite severe dehydration from illness, he has been unbeaten in world championship single scull finals since 2005.

New Zealand rowing legend Don Rowlands was also honoured with this year's distinguished service to international rowing award.

Rowlands was the chairman of the 1978 world championship organising committee in New Zealand which is considered to be one of the best ever.

His outstanding performance with the New Zealand organising committee earned him the Olympic Order medal in 1982.

An honorary member of world governing body Fisa, Rowlands has a silver and gold medal from the 1950 and 1951 British Empire Games in the men's eight and competed in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.

Multiple world championship gold medal winning coach Dick Tonks and the New Zealand men's pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond were finalists in the coach of the year and male crew of the year awards respectively.

- NZPA