Footscray City Rowing Club Awards 2025 - 2026
Most Outstanding Performance of a Crew or Rower
LAJ Wilkinson Trophy
This is the club’s highest award and is decided by the Selection Committee based on a crew or rower having an outstanding performance (not always awarded).
Les.Wilkinson (dec) was the club’s highest achieving oarsman, rowing in the winning Victorian Kings Cup Eight two years in a row in the 1940s. Les, a life member, served as senior coach and on Committee including President (1952-59, 1970 – 74) until the 1980s.
Jeremy Laing and Nathan Excell
Club Champion Trophy - Male and Female
The Perpetual Trophy is awarded to the male and female rowers who gain the most points for entering and winning races over the season.
The Male Club Champion male trophy honours Reg McKay (dec) who was a long-term President (1974-78, 2005 -15), life member and servant of the Club. Reg officiated at Olympic, World Championship and Commonwealth games level and served as Rowing Australia president.
Female Champion – Alice Wadie
Reg McKay Male Champion – Jeremy Laing
Champion Coxswain – Ross Wuchatsch Trophy
This Perpetual Trophy is awarded to the coxswain who gains the most points while steering Footscray City crews during the rowing season.
Ross Wuchatsch is a life member with a long club association starting as cox in the 1960s then as senior rower / Committee member (President 1978-80, 1985-87). Ross and his sons Scott and Andrew were champion coxswains.
Lucinda Berry
Best First Year Rower– Male and Female
Michael Spencer Trophy
This Perpetual Trophy is awarded to the rower who gains the highest points during their first full rowing season.May or may not be awarded.
Michael Spencer started rowing in the 1970s and served on Committee. He donated the perpetual trophy to instigate the support for early-stage rowers.
Maria Cahill and Alice Wadie
Best Crew Male and Female
This is awarded to the rowers who as an unchanged crew accumulate the most points over the rowing season.
Jeremy Laing and Nathan Excell
Masters Champion - Male and Female
Neil Boness Trophy
This Perpetual Trophy is awarded to the male and female masters rowers who gain the most points for entering and winning races in the masters season.
Neil Boness instigated a masters rowing program at Footscray in 2005 to the benefit of many Masters rowing today. The Trophy was made by Tony Lawless making use of a brass gate from yesteryear and turpentine timber recycled from the old timber landing.
Female Champion – Leonie Richards
Male Champion – Wayne Holford
Best Club Person, Male or Female
Peter Bright Trophy
This is decided by the General Committee, and is awarded to the person who has contributed greatly to the club during the season.
Peter Bright (dec), life member, commenced rowing in the 1980s then working tirelessly in coaching and Committee roles.
Allan McDonald
Selection Committee Award Male and Female
This award may be made by the Selection Committee, and is awarded to a crew, rower or coach who represented the club at regattas, attended regular training and showed enthusiasm towards rowing. (Not always awarded)
Swathy Sanjay, Amanda Wilson, Vickie Smith, Ruth Weinekoetter
Recognition Award
Bert van Dijk Trophy
This Perpetual Trophy is awarded by the General Committee, and is to recognise a person’s development within and contribution to the club.
It is named in memory of Bert van Dijk who supported the instigation of junior rowing at Footscray in early 2000s.
Leonie Richards
