Press release from Newcastle University Boat Club
Italian national rowing club coach, Angelo Savarino, has been appointed Head Coach of Newcastle University Boat Club. His arrival at NUBC follows three successful years based at the Italy's Paolo D'Aloja National Rowing Centre at Piediluco, Umbria, where he was Coach and Co-ordinator of the Italian Junior and Senior Women's national teams, and Assistant Coach for the Italian Federation's Rowing College.
With Angelo as their coach, Junior Italian crews picked up five silver medals and one bronze at World Championships in 2003 and 2004. Prior to that time, from 1994-2002 he was Head Coach at Circolo Canottieri (Rowing Club) Lazio, where athletes under his tutelage collected two gold, two silver and two bronze World Championship medal, and no fewer than 14 Italian Championship victories.
His own competitive record is similarly impressive: he was Italian University Champion in 1993, winning silver in a double at the same event, and a silver medal winner rowing in an eight at the Italian University Championships in 1998 and 1992. He also has bronze medals from Italian National Regattas in 1991 and 1994.
Rome-based Angelo brings 15 years of high-level club coaching experience to Newcastle. He has extensive technical knowledge of rowing stroke, sweep and sculling, and expertise in the field of weight training and cyclic training programmes, together with knowledge of boat-rigging and its resulting effects. He has worked with a variety of types of teams, from club to national rowing team level. 'I believe my best quality is my ability to establish a rapport with the rowers under my supervision. The most important aspect for me, as a coach, is to inspire a culture of working together towards a common goal.
'To me, rowing embodies a way of life built on values like honesty, strength and teamwork, which help young people to develop not only as athletes but as individuals as well', he added. Newcastle University Boat Club has already produced a number of success stories: among its former members are Olympic gold-medallist Ed Coode, and current GB squad member Ros Carslake. Current members include GB U23 rowers Stephen Feeney, George Laughton and Henry Pelly, who in May this year helped the Club to its first ever Senior Men's VIII victory over arch-rivals Durham in the annual Northumbrian Water University Boat Race.
Henry, the NUBC President, recently won a bronze medal in the men's double scull at the National Championships, and a gold at the Home International Championship at Cardiff Bay in July 2005. He said: 'I'm really excited by what Angelo will be able to bring to our Boat Club, and to high performance rowing in the North East'. Colin Blackburn, Deputy Director of Physical Recreation and Sport at Newcastle University, said: 'Angelo has an excellent track record in developing talented young sportsmen and women. He is joining the Boat Club at a time when it is going from strength to strength, and we look forward to seeing many more of our athletes fulfilling their rowing ambitions under his guidance'.
Peter Shakespear, Performance Development Manager of the Amateur Rowing Association, said: 'Angelo will be an excellent addition to the already successful coaching fraternity of North East rowing. 'At the recent World Junior and World U23 championships there were three medals (including a silver for NUBC's Stephen Feeney) from predominately NE based crews and I am confident that Angelo will be able to swell that number by improving the pathway to excellence at Newcastle University. Angelo has the professional attributes and the understanding of the training is required to be successful to elevate all levels of rowing at Newcastle University. His approach will challenge the athletes, coaches and administrators, but those who follow him will be successful', added Mr Shakespear.
The most recent success stories from Angelo's time at Piediluco include Mattia Boschelli, who in August became Junior World Champion in a composite quad in Branderburg, Germany. Boschelli later credited his gold medal-winning performance to his coach. In a separate competition, another of Angelo's former athletes, Davide Riccardi, took bronze at the Under 23 World Championship in Amsterdam in a composite lightweight coxless four.
Angelo commented: 'I have worked with these athletes for three years, so I am absolutely thrilled to have seen all their efforts come to fruition. Having the opportunity to coach in the UK will be an amazing experience, and I hope my contribution will help the NUBC's athletes achieve their goals'.
For further information contact Melanie Reed in the University Press Office on +44 (0) 191 222 5791; e-mail press.office@ncl.ac.uk