Mr Gordon Marcks is not one to seek the spotlight. Yet as Head of Rowing, his influence on our students is profound. Drawing on his own journey – from a late start in the sport to competing on the world stage – Gordon’s coaching is grounded in empathy, respect and a down-to-earth approach that inspires trust. He’s as proud of seeing a student discover their own potential as he is of any personal accolade, and it’s this humble, athlete-first philosophy that has shaped Radford’s rowing culture into one defined by hard work, camaraderie and quiet excellence.

You began your rowing journey as a high-performance athlete. What first drew you to the sport and how did your early experiences shape your path into coaching?

Actually, I began as a club member at Canberra Rowing Club after virtually begging a colleague who rowed there to take me to training. I was 20 years old and hadn’t participated in much sport before then. I vaguely recall watching rowing on TV and being drawn to it. Once I was on the water, I discovered I loved it and later came to appreciate the physical and mental challenges it offered. My coaching is strongly influenced by my own experience – helping people understand those challenges and showing that the sport rewards genuine hard work and commitment.

How many years did you compete as a rower and do you still get out on the water yourself?

About 10 years in total, for clubs and mostly for the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. I rarely row nowadays, as coaching takes up most of my time and I prefer to stay connected to the sport in that way.

Looking back on your time as an athlete, what’s a personal rowing achievement you’re especially proud of?

It’s hard to choose just one. More than a specific result, I’m proud of fully committing myself to the sport and never shying away from making hard choices. Among the standout moments: being offered an AIS scholarship as a relative novice, making the national team a year later, winning at Henley Royal Regatta, dominating a national season in a coxless and coxed pair and achieving one of the top erg scores in the country.

As a coach, what moment or milestone stands out as your proudest achievement?

Helping people reach places they never thought possible. That might mean winning a national title, a world championship or even a local club regatta. Understanding the work required from each athlete and building meaningful working relationships around that, is what I’m most proud of.

Rowing demands a lot of time and energy – what do you enjoy doing outside of the sport?

I’m very family-oriented and drawn to activities that are completely absorbing. I particularly enjoy competing in track cycling, restoring and riding old motorbikes and playing bass guitar. I’m fairly average at all of them, but I enjoy the challenge.

If you could share just one piece of advice with a young rower, what would it be?

Row for yourself – because you like it and because it’s fun. There’s a lesson in remembering that.

People might be surprised to know that ...

I come from a line of German bakers and pastry chefs – my father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all professionals. I love baking rye bread as a way of keeping that connection alive.