Scown's bronze confirms status among world's elite

Rebecca Scown is presented with her honours brooch by former Wanganui Collegiate School board member Richard Austin. PHOTO/FILE

Rebecca Scown has yet again franked her selection as the ambassador for the Wanganui Future Champions Trust with a bronze medal at the World Rowing Championships in South Korea at the weekend.

The Wanganui-born and raised rower clinched bronze in the Women's Coxless Pairs with new partner Kayla Pratt.

Wanganui District Councillor and Future Champions Trust chair Phillipa Baker-Hogan said Scown's performance at the weekend was yet another outstanding achievement from a superb home-grown athlete.

"This is another outstanding and consistent performance from our local girl and promotes Wanganui again on the world stage."

Scown is a double world champion and Olympic medallist with former rowing partner Juliette Haigh and has won back-to-back Wanganui Sportsperson of the Year titles, so was an obvious choice for the ambassadorship.

Baker-Hogan, herself a triple world champion rower and double Olympic finalist, said in today's tough environment Scown had once again proved she was a top role model.

"New Zealand rowing had dominated on the world stage in recent times, but now the rest of the world has caught up a bit, so for Rebecca to win bronze in this new environment is simply outstanding and proves she is an absolute champion athlete," Baker-Hogan said yesterday.

The Future Champions Trust was set up last December at the Aon Billy Webb Future Champions Fundraising Dinner as part of the Aon Billy Webb rowing event on the Whanganui River.

The event raised $10,500, which remains untouched while the final paperwork is completed for the trust's formal status to be recognised.

Baker-Hogan said she was confident that would be completed in time for the official trust launch in November 14 this year, which Scown has confirmed she will attend.

The aim of the trust is to recognise future champions in all sporting codes, not just rowing.