Our Coaching Team

Angelo Savarino - Head Coach

Angelo’s arrival at NUBC in 2005 followed three successful years based at Italy’s Paolo D’Aloja National Rowing Centre at Piediluco, Umbria, where he was Coach and Co-ordinator of the Italian Junior and Senior Women’s national teams, and Assistant Coach for the Italian Federation Rowing College.

With Angelo as their coach, Junior Italian crews picked up five silver medals and one bronze at the World Championships in 2003 and 2004.

Prior to that time, from 1994 to 2002, he was Head Coach at Circolo Canottieri Lazio, where athletes under his tutelage collected two gold, two silver and two bronze World Championship medals, and no fewer than 14 Italian National Championship victories.

Since arriving in Newcastle, Angelo’s coaching has secured NUBC 3 Henley Royal Regatta wins, numerous head of the river pennants and several championship wins at BUCS Regatta. He has also coached many athletes to the u23 Great Britain team and several Alumni onto the GB senior team.  As Head Coach, he has overall control of the coaching regime here at Newcastle, but on a day-to-day basis he runs the Senior Men’s squad.

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Alex Leigh - Senior Women’s Coach & Boatman

Alex took over the Senior Women role in 2015, after successfully coaching the Novice Men since 2013. Alex is a Newcastle alumnus graduating in 2013, with a degree in History. Learning to row at Yarm School, he spent time at Leander before joining NUBC. He has had a solid rowing career here, winning BUCS golds, pennants at the Head of The River, and being part of the Prince Albert IV that made it into the final of Henley Royal.

Since becoming Women’s coach, the squad has secured 2 Boat Race titles, multiple medals at BUCS Regatta, multiple wins at Henley Women’s Regatta and has also qualified women's boats for Henley Royal Regatta. He has also coached a Women’s eight to a Silver at the European Universities Games in Croatia.

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Julian Egan-Shuttler - Assistant Coach

Julian arrived at NUBC in the autumn of 2019, following successful coaching spells at Saratoga Rowing Association (USA), Nottingham and Union Rowing Club, University of London Boat Club, and St Edwards School, Oxford.

Julian obtained a BSc in Exercise Science from Skidmore College (USA), and an MSc in Exercise Physiology from Loughborough University in 2017. He has presented at scientific conferences and published work in the field of rowing and physiology and brings this knowledge to NUBC.

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