Rowing: Twigg wins top international award

Emma Twigg. Photo / File

Hawke's Bay sculler Emma Twigg won the Fisa international female crew of the year at the the 2014 World Rowing Awards in Brazil yesterday.

An unbeaten year in the women's single sculls earned Twigg the accolade at the ceremony in Rio de Janiero where her coach, Gary Hay, received the award on her behalf.

"I am honoured to receive this fantastic award. To be recognised amongst my peers is certainly special," Twigg is reported as saying on the New Zealand Rowing website.

She is studying for a Fifa sports management masters course in Leicester, England, and was unable to attend the awards.

"All of the World Champions from this year are amazing athletes. I find it hard to differentiate achievements so this award is really me representing all of world rowing champions' efforts," said the 27-year-old daughter of Kerry and Peter Twigg, of Napier.

Another undefeated season and domination in the men's pair and the men's coxed pair at the world championship saw the New Zealand men's pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond win the male crew of the year award for the third time.

Twigg was up against elite rowers in Eveline Peleman, Annekatrin Thiele and fellow Kiwis Sophie Mackenzie and Julia Edward (women's lightweight double scull).

She won four international regatta races this year, including her first world championship title in the women's single scull. She also took three out of three world cup series wins in Sydney, Aiguebelette and Lucerne.

The former Napier Girls' High School pupil faced reigning Olympic champion Mirka Knapcova and world champ Kim Crow at the World Champs in Amsterdam in July and won the blue riband event by several lengths.

The city recognised her feat with a presentation of the Amsterdam Sports Award presented to the winner of a major sports event there.

Twigg has cemented her position as New Zealand's best women's single sculler. She won New Zealand's first gold medal at a World Junior Championship in 2005 and was U23 world champion in 2007. She has finished no worse than fourth at a world champs, claiming two bronze, a silver and now a gold.

Twigg is determined to maintain her training since starting her course in September. Last month she won the women's double scull at the British National Championship and the Armada Cup in Switzerland.

Rowing NZ has indicated it will not support Twigg this year, advising that she will not be eligible to be selected for next year's world champs which is the main qualification regatta for the Rio Olympics.