ERIC Waller lives for rowing.
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He has given almost 60 years of service to the sport.
So it comes as no surprise that the Ballarat sporting legend has been honoured with two major awards - the Victorian Olympic Council's Julius L. Patching Sports Official of the Year and Rowing Australia's Volunteer of the Year.
The Olympic Council award recognises the outstanding contribution that officials make to the fabric of the Olympic sporting community in Victoria.
Waller said he had enjoyed every moment of involvement in rowing, from grassroots level in Ballarat to national and international, since joining Wendouree Rowing Club in 1957 - the year after the Melbourne Olympic Games rowing regatta on Lake Wendouree.
And the Ballarat 74-year-old has every intention of continuing in the sport into the long-term. "I'm still keen to help the City of Ballarat get major events here. I feel an obligation to help given the work the City of Ballarat for rowing and have Lake Wendouree recognised nationally as a rowing venue," he said.
Waller said he was also enjoying working with the clubs and schools in Ballarat to nuture the sport. His official roles are Ballarat Rowing Association president and Rowing Victoria field of play manager.
The Victorian Olympic Council highlighted Waller's international contributions - boat race official at 1990 World Rowing Championships in Tasmania; technical officer and boat race official at 2000 Sydney Olympic Games; boat race official at 2002 Masters Games Regatta at Lake Wendouree; and technical officer and race official at 2014 World FISA Masters in Ballarat.
It also acknowledged his time as Ballarat Rowing Association president (1984-2014), an official with Rowing Victorian 40-plus years and Rowing Victoria board member for 10 years, as well as part in upgrading the Lake Wendouree rowing precinct.
Rowing Australia talked up his involvement in getting the 2014 World Masters to Ballarat – “he was the driving force behind the implementation of the World Rowing Masters Regatta in Ballarat.”
