The annual Hancock Prospecting Rower of the year awards were held in Penrith, home of the Hancock Prospecting Women’s National Training Centre, on December 2nd, to celebrate Australia’s amazing rowers and all of their achievements of the 2022 season. It is also a time for their coaches and families to come together and celebrate all that our champion rowers do to make Australians proud.
The year has seen many outstanding performances, with Australia taking home 25 international medals, as well as three wins at the highly coveted Henley Rowing Regatta. The evening was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all of these achievements.
The Gina Rinehart AO Rowing Leadership Award was presented to Tokyo Olympic Champion, Annabelle McIntyre OAM. Annabelle is highly regarded by her peers and the whole Australian Rowing Team, and is seen as an athlete with strong values and ethics, and as someone who is always looking for ways to improve and perform better at the highest level, both on and off the water. A very big congratulations to Annabelle and all do the award recipients this evening.
Rowing Patron Mrs. Gina Rinehart and on behalf of the Hancock Prospecting Group congratulate all of our rowers on an amazing 2022 season, and wish all of the rowing community a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year.
Rowing Awards Dinner | Speech by Mrs Gina Rinehart AO | 2 December 2022
Good evening our dazzling rowers and your families, and a very warm welcome to our distinguished guests, coaches, volunteers and the wider rowing family.
I am very disappointed that I cannot be in two places at once, to celebrate our outstanding Aussie rowers, especially so after such amazing years!
Please join me in a NSW rousing round of applause for all our Aussie rowers.
What outstanding years you have had, with a total of 25 international medals! Not to mention the three exciting wins at the highly coveted Henley royal regatta.
And of course, the superb magnificent efforts at Tokyo with Australia’s “hour of power”!
What years to celebrate . You’ve sure made people all over Australia proud. And me too!
Since joining rowing in the leadup to the Rio Olympics, it has been a wonderful privilege to spend times with each of you. Amongst many occasions, most recently, I loved my night with the girl rowers, love your ready smiles and so good to find a rowing first for our scholarships for campion college, congratulations Amanda Bateman.
The college has kindly agreed to welcome olympians, and will make the learning schedule flexible for training and competitions, and is only about 30 mins from Penrith, so any who couldn’t join us at my Sydney home, please let Ian know, if you’d like to enjoy a scholarship course at campion.
I was also thinking, many of our Olympic rowers haven’t been to the Pilbara with me, I took other olympians north pre the Rio olympics, to show them some of our country, our outback, and just met with you in Sydney, training so important that close to the Rio olympics. Might you be interested in trying to fit in a trip to the Pilbara with me, perhaps if a training gap could be located second half 2023, pre summer? Gets bit too hot in summer, I’ve just been up there twice in the last week! If you’d be interested in this, please let Ian know.
Rowers, I hope you all know that for many years now, outside of Rob and your families, I’ve been one of your most loyal supporters. You are all such terrific role models for young Australians – in fact Australians of all ages – your dedication, self-discipline, teamship, efforts , your patriotism – the list goes on!, I admire greatly, and will serve you so well for life not only during but after rowing too.
To see you all standing beside the water after a successful row, with the Australian flag, is so moving, so uplifting, I can only imagine what it is like for you, knowing how much work you have put in to represent your country at the highest levels. So a very big congratulations to each of you on your outstanding efforts and achievements. I am very much excited for what the future holds for you .
Please join me in another huge and warm round of applause for our entire team, and for Robb and dedicated coaches too.
Now, I’m delighted to announce this year’s Gina Rinehart AO Rowing Leadership Award.
This year’s recipient won gold medal in the Coxless Four in Tokyo, as well as winning a gold and bronze medal at this year’s Rowing Championships. Highly regarded by her peers and a very influential member of Rowing Australia’s Athlete Leadership Group, she takes great pride in always wanting to enhance the culture and best practise of the Hancock Prospecting Women’s National Training Centre.
Please join me in congratulating Annabelle McIntyre, Annabelle, please join us on stage.
Another big congratulations to you all, thanks for being such terrific Aussies, and do hope you enjoy your evening.
