Four of Scotland’s best young rowers have been inducted into the East and West of Scotland Institutes of Sport as the sportscotland institute of sport area network embraces rowing for the first time.

This month, Callum McBrierty (Edinburgh), 17, along with Jack Leask (Heriot, Scottish Borders), 16, have both joined the East of Scotland Institute of Sport.  Balfron’s Rosie Young, 18, and Chris Rae, 20, (Giffnock, Glasgow) have joined the West of Scotland Institute of Sport.

Established in 2001 and supporting over 400 athletes, the sportscotland institute of sport area network works with partners to build greater success for Scottish sport.  Its expert teams work together to support Scottish governing body-identified athletes, delivering essential support services locally in sports medicine, sports science, strength and conditioning, and career and lifestyle guidance.

This development comes after a highly successful year for Scottish junior rowing. 

Lochwinnoch’s Andrew Holmes helped Great Britain’s Men’s Coxless Four win the gold medal at the Junior World Rowing Championships in France.  Clydesdale’s Rosie Young and Callum McBrierty (George Watson’s College pupil) brought home four gold and one silver medal at the Coupe de la Jeunesse (European Junior Rowing Championships) in France.  Meanwhile at the annual GB France under 16 match in Cardiff, Jack Leask (of George Heriot’s School and Clydesdale Amateur Rowing Club) won two gold medals; in the single scull and the quadruple scull.

Said Katherine Grainger MBE, Great Britain’s most successful Olympic female rower and a sportscotland institute of sport supported athlete:

“This is fantastic news that the rising stars of Scottish rowing will get a chance to work with the sportscotland institute of sport area network.  Over the years I have worked alongside various institutes and they do a great job in bridging the gap between top level potential and world class standards of excellence. 

“While the athlete needs to bring passion, commitment and talent to the enterprise, the institutes offer expertise, advice, experience and knowledge across many essential areas in sport. 

“As a result athletes will get the opportunity to develop their training programmes, their training technique, their nutrition, their psychology along with lifestyle suggestions to balance the demands of elite sport and the reality of the real world. 

“I would urge them to grab the opportunities they get with both hands and set themselves exciting new targets.  It would be great to see more Scottish athletes competing in the British Rowing Team and hopefully this new partnership will be a key step in seeing that become a reality.”

Said Lee Boucher, Scottish Rowing’s National High Performance Co-ordinator:

"The success of our young rowers is testament to the year-on-year professionalism and dedication shown by both the athletes and their coaching teams. 

“I am certain that there is much more to come from these and our other young rowers as Scottish Rowing integrates its performance programme with the sportscotland institute of sport area network.  The quality provision of local support is central to Scottish Rowing’s vision moving forward and I am certain that this will have a massive impact on our athletes’ performance levels.  

“With London 2012 on the horizon and role models such as sportscotland institute of sport athlete, Katherine Grainger, competing on the world stage, the future looks bright for rowing in Scotland."