Longtime Umpire Binda Recognized at Ottawa Sports Awards

Andy Binda was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the sport of rowing this week as he received the Special Recognition Award at the Ottawa Sports Awards.

Binda, who obtained his RCA umpiring license in 1967, first joined the Ottawa Rowing Club in 1955 as a competitive oarsman and won his first medal at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in 1961 in the 145-pound single. He rowed competitively from 1955 to 1973 and over the years has served as Ottawa Rowing Club captain, coach, and as a member of the club executive.

Since obtaining his umpiring license, he has umpired extensively at local regattas in Eastern Ontario and Quebec and has also umpired at every Royal Canadian Henley Regatta since 1972, a streak of 46 years. Including his 18 years as a Henley competitor, Binda has an unprecedented 62-year streak as a Henley participant. The rowing lifer obtained his FISA license in 1976 at the Montreal Olympics and has served on eight international juries, including two World Rowing Championships, three Pan Am Games, one World Student Games, one World Masters Games and one Commonwealth Games.

Locally, Binda continues to be a presence around the Ottawa Rowing Club, offering a helping hand to repair boats and organize events. In appreciation of his years of hard work on behalf of the Canadian rowing community, the Ottawa Rowing Club also named its historic boathouse after Binda.

Also recognized at the Ottawa Sports Awards this year was Richard Starnes (Soccer), who earned the Lifetime Award for Media Excellence and Stan Banville (Hockey) who earned the Spirit of Sport Award.

The awards ceremony was held at Algonquin College on Wednesday, Jan. 29 and marked the 67th anniversary of the Ottawa Sports Awards.