British Rowing star attends ceremony at Buckingham Palace

British Rowing’s Chairman, Annamarie Phelps, received her CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) today, (February 19th), in recognition of her services to rowing.

She received the CBE from Prince Charles at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Annamarie, Chairman of British Rowing since February 2013, has been actively involved in rowing for over thirty years after taking up the sport at university.

She enjoyed a successful international rowing career representing Great Britain at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta (women’s eight) and also competed in World Rowing Championships between 1991 and 1995 as well as the Commonwealth Regatta in 1994. She was World Champion in 1993 (lightweight coxless fours) and World Indoor Rowing Champion and World Indoor Rowing Record holder between 1992 and 1995 (lightweight women).

Out of the boat, Annamarie was Lead Safeguarding Officer at British Rowing for 11 years, and oversaw the anti-doping, governance and equality policies within the National Governing Body as Deputy Chairman from 2002 to 2013.

She was the first female board member of The Boat Race Company Ltd, working with the universities sponsors and men’s clubs to bring the Women’s University Boat Race to the Tideway in 2015. Annamarie has also been a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta since 2002.
Annamarie is a trustee and vice chairman of the British Paralympic Association and has recently been appointed to the board of the British Olympic Association.

When news of her CBE was announced earlier this year, Annamarie said, "I'm thrilled to be awarded a CBE for my work in rowing and it's great that more women have been recognised in the Honours system recently. Rowing is a central part of our family and family history and I am very privileged to be able to lead the sport at such a key time for British sport, especially in the run up to the Olympics and Paralympics in Rio. I am hugely thankful to the volunteers in rowing clubs across the country who deliver the sport day-to-day, our amazing staff at British Rowing and my family who have allowed me to spend so much time at it."

February 19, 2016