More information about the race and its organisers

Organisers:

Peter Haining, MBE, joint founder

Peter Haining is the founder of the Thames World Sculling Challenge as it is now and winner of the race in 1994 and 1995. He has umpired the men's Challenge in 1997 and 1999. Peter has a distinguished international racing career which includes 6 world medals, 3 of them gold in the lightweight single from 1993 - 1995. Otherwise Peter is director of the Scottish Sports Institute and also of the Athlete Career and Education programme for the UK Institute of Sport. He himself is in the middle of a sports science degree at Surrey University which he will complete after the Sydney Olympics.

Rachel Haining, administrator

Rachel Haining was introduced to the race in 1994 and has helped organise the race since being largely responsible for running the womens' races which first started in 1996. Rachel is mainly concerned with the logistics of the race and the athlete liaison for the event. She is also a sculler herself and was national quad champion in the lightweight and heavyweight events in 1997. Guin Batten and Rachel founded WIRe which aims to encourage women's participation in all aspects of rowing. The organisation has a monthly newsletter on the internet at wireweb.demon.co.uk and runs workshops and talks on diverse subjects ranging from weightlifting, physiology, psychology to rowing the Atlantic!
info@twsc.rowing.org.uk

John Tierney, joint founder, administrator, and media advisor

Whilst working as a sports journalist John set up the race with Peter Haining and Guy Rees in 1993. He has made over 50 television programmes and has also had material broadcast on Discovery, TransworldSport and Gillette Sports Special. John's media career has spanned neatly across the areas of print, radio and television and he has held editorial roles in magazine publishing and television. His work has included watching Peter Haining losing and winning gold in the lightweight single sculling final at the 1993 World Championships, producing Formula One motor racing and commentating and reporting on football and rugby. Working as a media consultant and independent producer, John has also made a promotional video about the Thames World Sculling Challenge and has secured worldwide television coverage of the race since 1993. He can be contacted by email at john.tierney@journalist.com.

James Felt, publicity and media officer

James has been part of the Organising Committee since 1995 with responsibility for the Press, logistics and sponsorship. A law graduate from Oxford, James has been a litigator in City firms and worked in sports marketing, event management and journalism; a somewhat amateurish oar, he rowed once in the OUBCs Cherwell squad and twice at Henley Royal Regatta, where he is Chairman's Assistant, Press Officer and archivist, for Thames Rowing Club (an ex vice-Captain). Temporarily (?) lured from the heat of competition by the calm of the River and Rowing Museum, he is on the Rowing Committee and is co-curator of the forthcoming Golden Oars Exhibition supported by the British Olympic Association. Although his waterman great-grandfather sculled on the Championship Course, his keen interest in the history of sport belies the fact that he is an American with none of his own..He works in City law firm Sinclair Roche & Temperley engaged in sports law (james.felt@srtlaw.com). press@twsc.rowing.org.uk.

Guy Rees, Chairman and joint founder

Responsible for the marketing of the event and oversees the organisation of the race, Guy is looking forward to TWSC 2001 where we are looking at another superb race with the worlds top athletes fighting for the ultimate challenge.