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Thank you & farewell: World Class Start Lead Steve Gunn leaves British Rowing

After more than 20 years with the GB Rowing Team (GBRT), Steve Gunn is taking voluntary redundancy, leaving British Rowing at the end of April

Steve started out before lottery funding as a volunteer Olympic coach before coming on board full-time. During that time he famously took Greg and Jonny Searle, coxed by Garry Herbert, to gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and delivered a bronze in the four at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. For the past 15 years, Steve has been fundamental in talent ID, leading the highly successful World Class Start programme which has identified many GB athletes including two-time Olympic gold medallist, Helen Glover.

Louise Kingsley, British Rowing Director of Performance added: “Steve has given absolutely sterling service over many years and contributed so much to the GB Rowing Team and British Rowing. I thank him for his contributions and the positive impact he has made not just on the organisation, but to so many athletes who have been fortunate enough to be coached by him. I wish him all the best of luck for the future.”

David Tanner, former British Rowing Performance Director who worked with Steve for much of his career, including his two medal-winning Olympic Games said: “I was privileged to be Team GB’s Rowing Team Leader at both the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympic Games, so saw Steve’s great coaching at first hand. These fantastic results established him as an international coach and after Atlanta he was recruited by Rowing New Zealand to be their Head National Coach.

“Under Steve’s leadership, WCS has been a ‘game changer’ for the GB Rowing Team”

“He returned to GB after a few years to join the GBRT staff as a Men’s Olympic Coach. By then I was British Rowing’s Performance Director and knowing his huge talent for bringing young rowers to the top, I asked him in 2008 to take on the role of World Class Start (WCS) Manager.

“Under Steve’s leadership, WCS has been a ‘game changer’ for the GB Rowing Team – for instance producing GB’s Olympic champions, Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, at London 2012. With Steve at the helm, WCS has blossomed into a world-leading programme, ensuring that GB has a rich stream of talent coming onto the Olympic pathway to underpin our ongoing international success.

“Finding and nurturing new talent is always a tough challenge and Steve has been exceptional in his leadership of the Start Programme. It has been a privilege to work with him for all those years and he’ll leave a very significant legacy for GBRT’s future.”

Reflecting on his GB Rowing Team career, Steve said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at British Rowing and hope others have too! Now I’m looking forward to just coaching, as well as more time with the family.”