Bill Sayer, rowing author, talks rowing

Whether an athlete or a coach, most of us will ask for help at some point during our involvement with rowing. Those fortunate enough to have a mentor can benefit profoundly from the passing on of knowledge gained through years of experience and lessons learned (often through making mistakes themselves). More often though, it is up to the athlete or coach to find information or assistance on their own. This is when reference books become invaluable.  

One of the standards on many bookshelves of rowers has been Rowing and Sculling: The Complete Manual. Written by British author Bill Sayer, this book is an overview of rowing with chapters covering everything from technique to coxing to training to racing. The manual has now seen  three editions since it was first published in 1991.

World Rowing talked to Sayer, about how he went from coach to author and his influences.

About the author

A biologist by training, Sayer switched from research to a career in teaching and coaching rowing.  “I decided what I really wanted to do was teach biology and coach rowing,” says Sayer, who is now retired after decades of experience including success as a boat designer and builder and serving as chief coach for the British junior team in 1988.

“I was quite lucky with athletes,” says Sayer, who has worked with a number of rowers on their journeys to the top. Matthew Pinsent was one such athlete on his team in 1988.

The motivation to write

“It was partly arrogance I suppose,” says Sayer. “I thought I had some experience and insights that might be useful. The other thing was I am a fairly voracious reader and I thought most of the British books on rowing were awful. I thought I could do better.”

Sayer found role models in the likes of Karl Adam and Mike Spracklen, who weren’t afraid to challenge the status quo. “At one time I belonged to the same club as Mike [Spracklen],” says Sayer, “and he coached me a bit. He was a free thinker and I admired that.”

Making the cut

“In the first chapter (of Rowing and Sculling),” says Sayer, “I tried to list all of the things that make a rowing boat go fast and then write a chapter that covers all of those things. It is very idiosyncratic and my view of what should be done.”

Sayer drew on his own experiences and those of his fellow coaches and former students including Steve Gunn. Gunn, who has gone on to have a successful career within British Rowing, learned how to row under Sayer’s direction. “He had earned a scholarship to study at Ratzeburg (in Germany) with Karl Adam,” says Sayer, “and brought back some new ideas to Britain.”

Sayer made sure to learn from Gunn’s time with the revered West German coach, whose innovative training methods had led the German eight to three consecutive Olympic medals (Gold in Rome 1960, Silver in Tokyo 1964, and Gold in Mexico 1968). Impressively, Adam had never rowed himself, which may have contributed to his willingness to be different.

Utilising his skills as a researcher, Sayer looked at what was happening beyond rowing. “I read a lot in relation to other sports,” says Sayer, “where I thought there might be some new ideas; particularly athletics, cycling, and swimming. I also talked to a lot of people.”

Changing times

The science of rowing and sport has advanced considerably over the decades and the sharing of knowledge and experience has transformed how coaches and athletes think about rowing. Many of the wildly different techniques and training methods have given way to a standard, universal set of scientific principles, says Sayer. “Coaches who have [wrong] ideas,” he says, “can be very dangerous.”

“The application of science,” says Sayer in the introduction of the 2013 reprint of the third and final edition of Rowing and Sculling, “has enabled training to become more effective and equipment to improve.”

He cites the London 2012 Olympic Games as an indication of how ideas have spread around the world. “It was apparent,” he writes, “that very similar technical principles and training methods are now being used in the majority of countries.”

When asked what the future holds, Sayer says he’ll leave that for others to write about. Although not planning on a fourth edition, Sayer remains passionate about rowing and continues to be active within his local club.

“When I started writing it,” says Sayer, “it was really a sort of physiology text book and I think too much of that was still there in the first edition. The third edition was a complete re-write and an awful lot better. I enjoyed writing it, and if it has been useful to people then jolly good.”