Saturday night's awards function was held in Wanaka for the first time to acknowledge the work done by the fledgling club over the last three years.
Strack (20), a massage therapist student, has lifted her profile and is the New Zealand female lightweight sculler who has made the most significant advance over the last 12 months.
The year started impressively when Strack won gold medals in the lightweight double sculls and the quadruple sculls for the New Zealand Under-21 team at the Youth Cup regatta on the Olympic course in Sydney.
This performance was the start and led to her becoming fully carded at the New Zealand Academy of Sport last month.
One of her best races came at the Canterbury championships when she finished a close third behind heavyweight internationals Fiona Patterson and Louise Trappitt in the single sculls.
Strack achieved her season's goal when she won the premier lightweight single sculls on Lake Karapiro in 8min 03.12sec.
She came close to a second medal when her Southern RPC crew finished fourth in the women's premier quadruple sculls in 7min 06.62sec.
Strack has been selected in the New Zealand Under-23 team in the lightweight double sculls with Julia Edward (Rotorua) for the world championships in Belarus in July.
North End's Michael Nisbet and Robbie Mears were named the top crew for finishing second in the senior double sculls at the New Zealand championships.
Mears, a pupil at Otago Boys High School, also won the schoolboy rower award after finishing second in the B final in the under-18 single sculls at the Maadi Cup at Lake Ruataniwha.
Johannah Kearney (St Kevin's College) was named the top schoolgirl rower after winning three medals - gold, silver and bronze - at the Maadi Cup regatta.
Her father, Kevin Kearney, was named the top administrator for his work with the Oamaru club and St Kevin's.
The Oamaru school claimed another award when Sophie Moynihan was named the top coxswain for winning a gold and bronze medal with her crews at the Maadi Cup.
Imogen Coxhead (Port United) was named the top masters rower, and the top novice crew was Zoe McBride and Hannah Duggan (Kavanagh College).
David Varney (Wanaka) was named top coach for his work in developing the fledgling Wanaka club.
World champion Hamish Bond was not nominated by his North End Club and, under Otago Rowing Association rules, could not be considered for the Otago rower of the year title.
His world pairs title and three national titles were recognised with the addition of the badge to his blazer.
Otago rowing awards
The winners
Rower: Lucy Strack (North End)
Schoolgirl: Johannah Kearney (St Kevin's)
Crew: North End senior double sculls (Robbie Mears, Michael Nisbet)
Novice crew: Kavanagh College under-15 double sculls (Zoe McBride, Hannah Duggan)
Schoolboy: Robbie Mears (OBHS)
Masters: Imogen Coxhead (Port United)
Cox: Sophie Moynihan (Oamaru, St Kevin's)
Coach: Dave Varney (Wanaka)
Administrator: Kevin Kearney (Oamaru)
