Rowing: Oarsmen gain extra funding

ROWERS who bring home medals from world and Olympic regattas despite a constant struggle to make ends meet are to be helped by a new pounds 100,000 foundation named after Mark Lees, writes Hugh Matheson.

Lees, the performance director and chief selector for the British team at the Barcelona Olympics, has retired from active coaching but wishes to stay in touch with the sport via the foundation that bears his name.

The foundation has been awarded an annual grant of pounds 20,000 for five years from the Rufford Foundation, another grant-giving Trust. It is intended that more money will be raised from other sources to sustain the fund.