World renowned rowing coach Iain Docwra to take up post at University of St Andrews

Iain Docwra can't wait to get started at University of St Andrews (Submitted pic)

One of the first dedicated Beach Sprints rowing coaches in the world will join the University of St Andrews later this year.

Iain Docwra will take up the post of Scottish Rowing Beach Sprints Pathway Coach at the University on August 1.

He said: “I am very much looking forward to combining my passion for rowing and love of being out on coastal waters in this exciting new role.

"I can’t wait to get started and work with all the local partners in St Andrews to create opportunities for people to take up coastal sculling as we build a team towards the Commonwealth Games in 2026.”

Docwra, who is originally from Crinan on the west coast, is an accomplished lightweight rower and competitive sailor.

He gained an invite to GB rowing ‘final trials’ in 2011 and has been a sailing coach, chief instructor, and beach manager in various roles in Scotland, France, and New Zealand.

Transitioning to rowing coaching through the sportscotland funded Coaching Futures programme in 2016, Docwra took up a role with Scottish Rowing at the University of Glasgow before being promoted to head coach in 2020.

He will join St Andrews from his current position with Scottish Rowing based at Shrewsbury School, where he has been the lead women’s coach since September 2022.

His new post, funded by sportscotland, is one of three new full-time coaching roles recently recruited as part of Scottish Rowing’s Performance Pathway team and aims to identify and prepare athletes for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Rowing has been one of Scotland’s leading Olympic sports over several cycles, consistently punching above its weight both domestically and internationally, with Scottish rowers making up one fifth of Team GB at Tokyo 2020.

Scottish Rowing aims to build a world-leading Beach Sprints programme in the lead up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Australia, where coastal rowing in this new discipline will make its Games debut, and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

A decision on whether the sport will be included in the 2028 Olympic programme is expected from the IOC later in 2023.