VETERAN Knavesmire Harrier Malcolm Fawcett is a rowing world record holder despite never having paddled an oar in water.

Fawcett, 63, has made his metaphoric splash in the sport of indoor rowing and has just finished the season as the world's highest-ranked lightweight male.

His new status spans all age groups and comes at the end of 12 months that have seen him break British records at three distances as well as setting a new world best half-marathon time in his 60-69 age group.

"One of these days I want to have a go in the water but I tend to get sick on the indoor machines," quipped Fawcett.

Having first used the Concept 2 indoor rowing machine as part of his running training six years ago, Fawcett now trains three days a week at Livingwell Premier York in Poppleton and four days at his Green Hammerton home.

In a typical week, he rows 33 miles, swims a mile-and-a-half, runs 20 kilometres and pumps out 600 repetitions on a weight machine.

Fawcett recently finished the season ranked first in the world at seven of the officially-recognised distances and time trials, breaking British and Irish records for the mile twice, the 2,500m and the half-marathon (21,097m).

His half-marathon time of one hour, 21 minutes and 21 seconds smashed the previous best by seven-and-a-half minutes for a new world record.

The two mile records were both broken in the space of five weeks at Livingwell during a test with Great Britain manager Eddie Fletcher. His second was clocked at 5-40 while his 2,500m British and Irish record is 8-57.

Fawcett's world number one ranking was determined by the Nonathlon system. It compares all the world's indoor rowers over ten distances and times with each rower eligible to score points for their best nine events regardless of age, sex or weight.

Points are calculated by comparing each result against the world's best performance in comparable age, weight and sex categories and, although Fawcett only completed nine disciplines, he outscored every other male lightweight rower.

His top rankings were at 1,000m (3-27.03), 5,000m (18-34.6), 6,000m (22-29.8), 10,000m (37-42.7) and over the half-marathon (1-21-21.6).

He also managed the world lightweight's top ranking for distance rowed over 30 minutes (7,995m) and an hour (15,628m).

In a highly successful season, Fawcett also won five out of six Grand Prix events, collecting the series Gold Medal.

Aside from his rowing heroics, he also competed in 23 road running races in 2003 and successfully defended his York & District Summer League Over-60 title, finishing first in four of the races.

Fawcett was also the first O60 athlete at the notorious Masham half-marathon, to clinch second place in the 2003 Black Sheep series.

Updated: 10:13 Saturday, July 03, 2004