Rowing Coaches
Tom Laurich (Scholarship Coach)
Andrew Matheson (National/AIS Performance Director)
Andrew has been in the role of High Performance Director of
the NRCE since 2008 after 6 years as the High Performance Manager for Rowing New Zealand. He holds degrees in Physical Education (majoring in biomechanics and exercise physiology) and Commerce (majoring in marketing). Prior to working for Rowing New Zealand, Andrew worked in sales and marketing for Unilever, Cadbury and Frucor Beverages.
Andrew has represented New Zealand in rowing, with his highest achievement being a silver medal in the coxed four at the World Championship in Tampere, Finland, in 1995. He has an interest in multi-sport, competing in the Coast to Coast and Length of New Zealand races.
the NRCE since 2008 after 6 years as the High Performance Manager for Rowing New Zealand. He holds degrees in Physical Education (majoring in biomechanics and exercise physiology) and Commerce (majoring in marketing). Prior to working for Rowing New Zealand, Andrew worked in sales and marketing for Unilever, Cadbury and Frucor Beverages.
Andrew has represented New Zealand in rowing, with his highest achievement being a silver medal in the coxed four at the World Championship in Tampere, Finland, in 1995. He has an interest in multi-sport, competing in the Coast to Coast and Length of New Zealand races.
Noel Donaldson (Head Coach)
Noel has been coaching on the National Team since 1990.
In this time he has attended 5 Olympic Games, coached many crews to international success and has held administrative leadership roles.
The highlights include Gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games with the Men’s Coxless Four (“Oarsome Foursome”).
Head Coach of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games Rowing Team. High Performance Director for Rowing Australia between 2005 and 2008.
He is a General Member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
In this time he has attended 5 Olympic Games, coached many crews to international success and has held administrative leadership roles.
The highlights include Gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games with the Men’s Coxless Four (“Oarsome Foursome”).
Head Coach of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games Rowing Team. High Performance Director for Rowing Australia between 2005 and 2008.
He is a General Member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Lyall Mccarthy (Head Coach)
Lyall McCarthy is the Women's Sweep and Scull Coach. As a lightweight oarsman, Lyall competed at his first world championships in 1978 and retired after the 1992 World Championships.
He began coaching in 1994 at the Barwon Rowing Club and joined the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) coaching staff in 1997. In the same year, he coached the men's lightweight eight to the world championships in France. Lyall coached Australia's women's eight to its first world championship gold medal in 2001 and also won gold in the women's four.
In 2002, Lyall coached the crews that won gold in the women's four and silver in the women's eight at the world championships.
In 2003, Lyall coached an all AIS crew to gold in the women's quad at the world championships. This is the first time Australia has won a world championship in this event. At the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the women's quad finished 3rd, again under Lyall's coaching.
At the 2005 World Championships in Japan, Lyall coached crews to gold, silver and bronze medals across the women's sweep and sculling disciplines.
Lyall is the current Australia Senior Women's Coach for Rowing Australia
He began coaching in 1994 at the Barwon Rowing Club and joined the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) coaching staff in 1997. In the same year, he coached the men's lightweight eight to the world championships in France. Lyall coached Australia's women's eight to its first world championship gold medal in 2001 and also won gold in the women's four.
In 2002, Lyall coached the crews that won gold in the women's four and silver in the women's eight at the world championships.
In 2003, Lyall coached an all AIS crew to gold in the women's quad at the world championships. This is the first time Australia has won a world championship in this event. At the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the women's quad finished 3rd, again under Lyall's coaching.
At the 2005 World Championships in Japan, Lyall coached crews to gold, silver and bronze medals across the women's sweep and sculling disciplines.
Lyall is the current Australia Senior Women's Coach for Rowing Australia
Rhett Ayliffe (Senior Coach)
Rhett Ayliffe is the current Men’s Rowing and Sculling Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport. Rhett coached the gold medal winning men’s double at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and was the coordinator of the men’s sculling team, having started coaching professionally in 2000. Previously Rhett was based in Tasmania as the Head Coach. The Tasmanian Institute of Sport had seven Olympians and one Paralympian at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, which was a record for Tasmania. Rhett also coached under age teams until 2006.
Laryssa Biesenthal (Senior Coach)
As a two-time Canadian Olympian, Laryssa captured bronze medals at both the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in the Women’s Quadruple and Eights events respectively. Laryssa is recognised as Canada’s most consistent medallist in the sport of rowing as a result of her achieving podium performances at every World Championship’s, and Olympic regatta she attended from 1995 to 2000.
In March 2009 Laryssa joined the AIS’s coaching staff as the Senior Women’s coach, following a successful seven year coaching appointment with Rowing Canada’s national team. During this time she led the lightweight women’s program to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and numerous World Championship and World Cup medal winning performances.
In March 2009 Laryssa joined the AIS’s coaching staff as the Senior Women’s coach, following a successful seven year coaching appointment with Rowing Canada’s national team. During this time she led the lightweight women’s program to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and numerous World Championship and World Cup medal winning performances.
Chad King (Senior Coach)
Chad has been the AIS/National Senior Coach – Adapting Rowing since March 2011.
He has a strong record in coaching adaptive rowing. He was head coach of the Great Britain adaptive rowing team that topped the medal tally in the category’s debut at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
He has a strong record in coaching adaptive rowing. He was head coach of the Great Britain adaptive rowing team that topped the medal tally in the category’s debut at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
