AN Olympic oarsman is hoping to help produce the medal-winners of the future on the waters of the River Wear.
Durham University has appointed Wade Hall-Craggs, 32, part of the double gold winning sculls team in the 1992 Olympics, as its first senior rowing coach.
The city has a long rowing tradition and the university has produced several leading rowers.
On the heels of Steve Redgrave's success in the Sydney Olympics, more than 1,000 freshers, up one third on normal, have signed up for rowing at the university.
Mr Hall-Craggs, originally from Berkshire, studied archaeology at Durham from 1985 to 1988, coached the British coxed fours who won this year's world championships, and helped coach the Olympic team.
He aims to widen interest in rowing, involving schools and clubs, and hopes to encourage the development of the region's coaching facilities.
He said: "There's an incredible tradition of rowing in the North-East that I'm keen to tap into."
His post has been funded by the Friends of Durham Rowing, and the Eric Halladay Memorial Trust, which was set up as a tribute to the man who was a leading influence on rowing at the university.
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