Olympic dreams in the hands of Littleborough-born coach

Mark coaching the quad at training camp on Lake Varese, Italy

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The fate of Team GB’s rowers at this year’s London Olympics rests partly on the shoulders of their Littleborough-born coach, despite an unfortunate accident almost shattering his hopes of success in the sport.

Mark Banks’ own rowing career, which began with him training at Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club, came to a sudden stop as what should have been a fun night ended badly. After securing a place in a lightweight squad in Nottingham, Mark had returned home for a social event with some old friends.

Mark said: “I was at a rowing club dinner and we were playing a silly game where the last of the group to put their hand on the floor loses. I twisted my hand, hit the floor and somebody landed on me. My arm had completely snapped in half and that was the end of that; arms are obviously quite important in rowing!’

Mark wasn’t prepared to let his accident deter him,  he continued rowing as a hobby and landed a job as coach at Leander Rowing Club based in Henley-on-Thames; a hugely-successful club with 99 Olympic medals under their belts.

Mark said: “It’s a pleasure to work with such fantastic athletes at Leander. We’re like the Manchester United and Real Madrid of the rowing world, it’s a huge club.”

Four years later, after much success with the club, Mark was offered the position of Chief Coach at Leander; an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

When asked how life in Oxfordshire differs from that in Rochdale, he said: “Well the weather’s unbelievably different, for a start! The easterly winds aren’t as cold and it definitely doesn’t rain as much. It’s just so much hotter.

“But Hollingworth was a great place to train in that it’s like the Rocky films, much harder up in such a mountainous area, but it’s a fantastic basis that definitely toughens you up and prepares you.”

Mark urges locals to embrace the Olympic spirit by getting involved themselves:  “It’s extremely important for everybody to embrace the Olympics and sport in general. It creates great opportunities,” he said.

“I’m just from a local school, I’m not Oxbridge-educated or anything, and this sport’s given me the chance to travel all over the world meeting people of other nationalities and experiencing new cultures.

"If you have a talent in sport I encourage you to pursue it and take every opportunity.”