IN recent months, there has been news of significant departures from the international rowing scene, writes John Wiggins.

While Frances Houghton retires to Cornwall to consider her future and fellow multi Olympic medallist Andy Triggs Hodge is now gainfully employed working on the Thames Tideway Tunnel, others find themselves in education.

Katie Greves, a team-mate of five-time Olympian Houghton, has remained in Oxford to teach English at the co-educational St Edward’s School.

Greves started her rowing as a pupil at Headington School and is a veteran of three Olympic Games, each time in the eight, finishing with the ground-breaking silver medal at Rio last year.

She joins a coaching team at Teddies run by Cambridge Blue and GB international cox, Peter Rudge.

Also in his coaching armoury is Jonny Singfield, Olympic finalist in the eight at Barcelona in 1992 whose last GB race in 1999 coincided with Greves’ first as a junior while at Headington.

Her former school continue with Chris Hermes as director of rowing and Ryan Demaine, director of sport and first eight coach, looking to retain the status as the pre-eminent girls rowing school in the country.

Radley College have also gained from international retirement as Sam Townsend takes up the role of master in charge along, with teaching geography.

John Gearing, after ten years at Radley, continues as senior coach, but they say farewell to Angus McChesney after many years in turn, as housemaster, master in charge of rowing and first eight coach.

Townsend was a key member of the senior GB sculling team for ten years and in the crew that won the first ever World Championship medal in the quadruple scull in 2013.

When taking up the sport as part of the ‘world class start’ programme at Reading in 2002, Townsend’s first coach was Mark Earnshaw, who continues as director of rowing at Abingdon School.

Former lightweight international, Ali Brown coaches the first eight there, but now with the support of Nick Strange, whose extensive CV includes coaching Greves’s eight at the 2012 Olympics.

Magdalen College School may not have the same numbers rowing, but with continuity in its coaching team, including Greg Atkin working with head of rowing Jane Taylor, they aim for success in sculls.

Another constant at MCS is classics teacher, Stephen Spowart whose nickname, ‘Spowie’ adorns a new double scull in recognition of his 40 years at the school boat club.