Eldracher and Washburne Named 2025 USRowing Para Athletes of the Year

USRowing is pleased to announce that Emelie Eldracher has been named the 2025 Female Para Athlete of the Year, while Ben Washburne has been named the 2025 Male Para Athlete of the Year.

Selected by the athletes and coaches of the Gemini.com Para National Team that competed at the 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai, China. Eldracher and Washburne will be recognized at the Golden Oars Gala on November 13 at the Harvard Club in New York City. 

Ben Washburne has led the PR3 mixed four with coxswain for the past three years, stroking the crew to a silver medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games and a fourth-place finish at the 2025 World Rowing Championships. He also earned a silver medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships. Washburne’s leadership, determination, and steady presence in the boat have been instrumental in the growth and success of the Para four program.

"I am honored to be selected as the Male Para Athlete of the Year," said Ben Washburne. "I have been lucky to have been supported by so many people in my rowing career, and this award is a reflection of their support and guidance. First and foremost, I would like to thank my family for always encouraging me and cheering me on from the beginning.

"I am grateful to the many great coaches I have had the opportunity to learn from: Nat Case, Marc Mandel, Tom Siddall, Katy Ruderman, and Ellen Minzner. Rowing is the ultimate team sport, and I owe much of my success to my great teammates over the years at Hopkins School, the Blood Street Sculls, Williams Men's Crew, and the Gemini.com U.S. Para National Team, who have pushed me in training and always raced hard."

Emelie Eldracher has been the steady and commanding voice of the PR3 mixed four with coxswain since 2022. She has guided the crew to silver medals at the 2024 Paralympic Games and the 2023 World Rowing Championships. This past September, the crew placed fourth in Shanghai. Known for her exceptional leadership and ability to unify her teammates under pressure, Eldracher continues to set a standard of excellence both on and off the water.

"I have the best teammates," said Emelie Eldracher. "Ben, Max, Annabelle, and Eli, I’m deeply moved that you saw me as an important part of this team. Whether we were just off the podium or on it on our home course, you embodied grit in the toughest conditions, and have always shown relentlessness for what’s ahead.

"Thank you to every coach who’s guided me in this program— Katy Ruderman, Tom Siddall, and Derek Hartwick. Learning from each one of you has shaped who I am. To Wendy Wilbur and Geoff Keller, thank you for lifting the entire team, and that extends to all of our PTs, doctors, and every sponsor who keeps us going.

"Ellen Minzner, your vision for this team is unmatched, and you push us to keep raising the standard. Thank you to Josy Verdonkschot for your support of moving this program’s mission forward.

"To every coach at MIT, especially Holly Matcalf, for every hour you spent teaching me, and to every coach at Andover who first showed me how to compete—thank you. To Tufts, particularly Lily Siddall, I’m grateful to have worked under your commitment to excellence. And to my new home at Cambridge, thank you for supporting my World Championships campaign and for welcoming me to the UK. Thank you to the teammates on all my teams; it’s because of you I love this sport.

"To the MIT Sports Lab and Comfiknit, thank you for letting me chase research that helps athletes and for supporting every step of the past two years. To my parents, who ring their race bell louder than anyone else, and to my friends, who now know far more about rowing than they ever expected—thank you.

"It’s humbling to follow in the footsteps of Gemma Wollenschlaeger, who won this inaugural award last year. She charged the U.S. to lead the world in Para sport as we look ahead to LA.

"As a non-Para athlete who has the privilege of competing with this team, I ask each of us to keep questioning what we think Para sport is. To me, this team is a team of firsts — a team intent on shattering World Records, utilizing technology to its furthest capabilities, and building the greatest athlete pipeline. It’s the honor of my lifetime to be here for it."

The Beach Sprint Athletes of the Year will be announced later this month. 

USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the Gemini.com U.S. Senior and Para Rowing National Teams. Filippi provides a fleet of boats for international racing, including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Championships, and Olympic & Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic fleet for the USRowing Training Centers.