9:30am Saturday 6th March 2010
By James Nadal
OLYMPIC gold medallist Zac Purchase will launch Longridge outdoor activities centre’s new rowing club by coaching the first session.
The centre Quarry Wood Road, Bisham, Marlow, introduced rowing last year following a £12,000 grant from The Stewards’ Charitable Trust.
Its aim was to make the sport more affordable for youngsters and last month it gained British Rowing accreditation.
The Olympic athlete will coach the club’s first session on March 21 and will be joined by another Olympic Gold medallist and - Greg Searle - a Marlow resident and President of Longridge Rowing Club.
Mr Purchase said: “I am passionate about all young people having the same access to rowing and the sports opportunities that I had.
"I will be watching the club develop with great interest and fully expect to see future champions emerging from the Longridge Rowing Club”.
Club sessions will run weekly both after school and at over the weekends.
Longridge Rowing Club chairman, Richard Nissen said: “We are all delighted by the demand for rowing in the area and just hope that we can raise the money for more boats and equipment to cope with the demand for rowing from young people.
“We are particularly keen to raise the money to purchase some indoor rowing machines so that we can run the club throughout the year.”
The club is also looking to recruit committee members.
For more details go to www.longridge-uk.org.
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