Last in the series of 2005 FISA Awards, the International Rowing Federation (FISA) honours Germany’s Werner Konrad, longserving organiser of the Duisburg International Regatta, with the 2005 Distinguished Services to International Rowing Award.

Born in Duisburg, Germany in 1921, Werner Konrad has been a household name in the world of rowing for more than 50 years. His regatta experience can be traced all the way back to the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games where he sold regatta programmes as a 15-year-old. His biggest success as a rower was becoming national champion in the men’s pair in 1948. When his rowing career came to an end in the early ’50s, he began coaching both rowing and canoeing, resulting in five national titles in rowing and Olympic silver and bronze in canoeing in the ’50s and ’60s.

But Werner is most remembered for his career as a regatta organiser which spanned half-a-century. He helped organise a regatta for the first time in 1952 and then retired from the game no earlier in 2001.

In 1965 Werner became Chairman of the Duisburg Regatta Organising Committee. Under his leadership the city of Duisburg became an international rowing hub with the International Duisburg-Wedau Regatta attracting top athletes from dozens of nations at the start of the rowing season. Werner’s experience goes beyond his involvement in the Duisburg regatta and includes the European Championships (1965), the Olympic Regatta in Munich (1972), the World Championships (1983), the Universiade (1989), the World Rowing Junior Championships (2001) and countless German championships where he devoted unlimited time as a volunteer.

Werner was a teacher by training and became a civil servant after the Munich Olympics as sports manager in Duisburg schools. This position allowed him to become involved in the organisation of other sporting events as well.

Although he retired after the World Rowing Junior Championships in 2001, he can still be seen at regattas every year, as he has built lasting relationships with National Federation leaders, coaches and athletes around the world.

In recognition of the excellent services he has rendered to sports and rowing in particular, Werner Konrad has already been honoured by the city of Duisburg, the German Rowing Federation, the German government and the International Rowing Federation.

The 2005 FISA Awards will be presented at the Gala Dinner of the 2005 World Rowing Forum in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday 5 November.