FISA honours Di Ellis and Ben Hunt-Davis

 

Olympic gold-medallist Ben Hunt-Davis and British Rowing Chairman Di Ellis have been honoured by the International Rowing Federation at the World Rowing Junior Championships closing ceremony at Eton Dorney.

The pair were presented with the coveted Medal of Honour by Denis Oswald – FISA president and member of the International Olympic Committee’s executive board – at the end of the hugely successful WRJC 2011 on Sunday.

Hunt-Davis was chairman of the 2011 event – which welcomed athletes from 48 nations to Eton Dorney and acted as a test event ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games – and accepted the award on behalf of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and volunteers.

Ellis, meanwhile, accepted the prestigious Medal of Honour on behalf of British Rowing.

Over 500 British Rowing and LOCOG volunteers took part in the 2011 WRJC, looking after over 1000 athletes, coaches and spectators.

Their hard work and commitment helped ensure the success of the event, both on and off the water, and LOCOG Chairman Sebastian Coe was particularly keen to highlight the impact of voluntary staff at the championships.

“[I would like] to thank all the volunteers here that have made this such a spectacular event,” Lord Coe told World Rowing.

The FISA Medal of Honour is awarded in recognition of outstanding service to the sport of rowing.

Ron Paterson and Peter Morrison were also presented with British Rowing’s Medal of Honour at separate ceremonies during the event.