It was not a surprise. Hamish Bond (North End) had to be named the Otago rower of the year.
He has remained unbeaten in international pairs events with partner Eric Murray since 2009, and has now won 18 red coats in premier events at the New Zealand championships.
Bond has built up an international reputation over the past eight years and is now rated as one of the elite in world rowing.
Over the past year, Bond and Murray have won world cup events at Eton and Lucerne, and retained their world title in Korea.
Bond won his first premier single sculls title at the New Zealand championships at Lake Ruataniwha when he beat world champion Mahe Drysdale. He added another red coat in the coxless pair.
The standard of rowing has improved over the past 12 months and this was indicated by the other finalists for the supreme award.
Fiona Bourke (University) won a silver medal at the world championships in the double sculls and Johannah Kearney (Oamaru) claimed a bronze medal in the under-23 four at the world championships.
Kearney was named the top junior sportswoman at the Otago Sports Awards in Dunedin on Friday night.
Another international, Jack O'Leary (Otago), was named the club rower of the year at the rowing awards function in Oamaru on Saturday night.
O'Leary won a silver medal in the quadruple sculls at the junior world championships in Lithuania, and a silver in the men's senior single sculls and a bronze in the senior double sculls at the national club championships at Lake Karapiro.
O'Leary capped off a successful year by winning a gold medal in the boys under-18 single sculls at the Maadi Cup at Lake Ruataniwha.
Riley Bruce (Mount Aspiring College) was named schoolboy rower of the year for winning gold in the under-16 single and double sculls at the cup, and Anna O'Leary (Kavanagh College) was named schoolgirl rower of the year for winning silver in the girls under-16 single sculls.
Bruce and Nathan Redai were named crew of the year for winning gold in the under-16 double sculls at the cup.
Imogen Coxhead (Port United) was the top masters rower for winning five gold and three silver medals at the New Zealand masters championships.
John Parnell (Otago) was named top coach after another impressive year. His crews won two gold and a silver medal at the Maadi Cup and two silver medals at the New Zealand club championships.
Otago rowing
The awards
Rower of the year: Hamish Bond (North End).
Club rower: Jack O'Leary (Otago).
Schoolboy rower: Riley Bruce (Mount Aspiring College).
Schoolgirl rower: Anna O'Leary (Kavanagh College).
Masters rower: Imogen Coxhead (Port United).
Crew: Riley Bruce, Nathan Redai (Mount Aspiring College).
Coach: John Parnell (Otago).
Administrator: Peter Scott (Oamaru).
Coxswain: Jessica Mulligan (Oamaru).
Novice crew: Columba College 8.
