Mark Banks

Mark has been selected as crew coach of the men's eight for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. 

Mark is currently coaching in the men's national squad and combining this with leading Leander Club's rowing programme as its chief coach. Mark coached the women's quad to a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004. This was the culmination of several years of working with young female athletes on the pathway from junior to senior.

Mark started coaching in 1986 at Nottingham and Union Rowing Club after injury forced him to end his own competitive rowing career. He started coaching some of the junior crews at the club and enjoyed much success. He gained his first international coaching experience at the World Junior Championships and coached the GB Junior gold medal boy's four in 1989. The following year Mark was appointed the ARA's Chief Coach for Juniors and over the following ten years he achieved many medals with the Junior Team and established a successful pathway for Juniors to achieve at the highest level in the sport.

In 2000, Mark left the ARA to take on the role of Chief coach at Leander Club.

Although rowing takes up most of his time, he also enjoys skiing, wine tasting and scuba diving.