O’Leary, Wotovich, Huppi Named 2021 USRowing Beach Sprint Athletes of the Year

PRINCETON, N.J. – USRowing is pleased to announce that Brian O'Leary (Port Charlotte, Fla./Jesuit High School) has been named the 2021 USRowing Beach Sprint National Team Male Athlete of the Year and Hannah Huppi (Bellingham, Wash./Tulane University) and Britt Wotovich (Redington Beach, Fla./Berkeley Preparatory School) have been selected as this year's USRowing Beach Sprint National Team Female Athletes of the Year.

Selected by the athletes and coaches of the team that competed at the 2021 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Oerias, Portugal, O'Leary, Wotovich and Huppi will be honored during the USRowing Annual Convention, which will be held virtually this year from December 6-12. This year marked the first time ever that the U.S. sent a national team to the beach sprints.

O'Leary competed in two events at the 2021 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, winning a silver medal in the junior mixed double sculls with Wotovich and reaching the quarterfinals in the junior men's solo event. In the junior mixed double, O'Leary and Wotovich defeated the hometown favorites from Portugal in the semifinals to reach the championship race before bringing home the silver medal.

"I didn't expect to be chosen by the team as athlete of the year, but I'm thankful for it," O'Leary said. "When I think back on the beach sprint races, I will remember being with the team and the friendships before remembering the award. I was really excited to win the silver medal for Team USA because I know that even if I don't participate in the beach sprints in the future, mine and Britt's names will always be there for earning the first silver medals for the U.S."

On the women's side, Wotovich and Huppi tied in the voting and will share the inaugural award.

Wotovich also raced in two events at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals. In addition to winning the silver medal with O'Leary in the junior mixed double sculls, she also raced in the junior women's solo event, finishing fourth. In the solo event, Wotovich easily won her quarterfinal before dropping her semifinal and heading to the bronze-medal race against Portugal's Madalena Peca.

"I am so honored to be chosen by my beach sprint teammates and coaches for this award," Wotovich said. "The beach sprints in Portugal was an incredible experience, and I am so grateful to have been a member of this team. The Team USA environment was truly special and meeting athletes from all over the world was extraordinary. I am excited to see what the future has in store for coastal rowing in the United States. I am so thankful for my coaches and teammates for all their encouragement and support."

Huppi was part of the mixed coxed quadruple sculls crew that won the bronze medal in Portugal, winning the U.S. its first-ever medal at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals. Huppi and her boatmates won a tight, neck-and-neck race with Sweden in the B final to reach the medal stand, finishing just 0.21 seconds ahead of Sweden. Huppi also raced in the women's coxed quadruple sculls at the 2021 World Rowing Coastal Championships.

"I'm honored to be chosen as the Female Athlete of the Year for the Beach Sprint National Team," Huppi said. "Being on the first beach sprint's team was an incredible experience, and I have so much respect and admiration for all my teammates this year. I'm thankful to everyone who has helped me along the way. I could not have competed without the support of my teammates, my coaches, my family, and my club. The World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals was an amazing experience. Nothing beats standing in the sand on the beaches of Portugal, lining up against the best coastal rowers in the world. Winning the first beach sprint's medal was very special for me and for the U.S. team, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to represent my country."

USRowing will be announcing the under 19, under 23 and senior national team athletes of the year later this week. Those winners, as well as the board-selected award winners and referee award winners, will be honored during the USRowing Annual Convention in December.