"Looking back, my proudest moments were, a silver medal at Lucerne regatta, winning the World Under 23 Championships and winning three times at Henley Royal Regatta."

---

Mostyn Field

Born in Coulsdon UK, 1958
B.Sc. Geology

University College London, 1980

Field of work

Marine Data Processing

Areas of interest outside work

Rowing, avid West Ham fan, looking after two young sons

I was born and grew up on the southern fringes of London. On my transfer to secondary school I gained a place in a prestigious grammar school much further into London. This allowed me to develop my education in mathematics and science but also introduced me to the sport of rowing. I had always had a great interest in sport but up to that point had only had success in swimming as I sadly seemed to lack the ball skills required to make it in the more traditional “school” sports. In rowing (and swimming), I found that if you were prepared to train very hard and really push yourself to the limit then anything is possible. My schoolboy rowing career culminated in selection for the Great Britain team at the World Junior Rowing Championships (and my first Henley final appearance).

At University College London I started studying Civil Engineering, but very quickly became fascinated by the Geological modules on the course, and transferred to a Geology degree. On graduation I was very lucky to gain a job in seismic processing and have worked in this field of geophysics ever since. The complexity of the processing tools available, over the years, have multiplied as the available computing power has increased exponentially. So my job is always changing. Last year, with the formation of the joint venture between Western Geophysical and Geco-Prakla I came into the Schlumberger organization. Currently I have just transferred into Schlumberger House in Gatwick as a senior supervisor for the marine data processing department of WesternGeco.

I continued rowing at university for the University of London and after graduation rowed for 7 more years at the Tyrian Club. This would involve training every day whilst working, often getting up early to row before 7am, then a day in the office, before training in the evening as well. Having represented Great Britain at Junior and under 23 levels I eventually broke into the senior team and rowed at three World Championships (best result: 8th in coxless fours) and a Commonwealth Games (bronze medal coxless fours). Looking back, my proudest moments were, a silver medal at Lucerne regatta, winning the World Under 23 Championships and winning three times at Henley Royal Regatta.

On deciding that the time had come to retire from all that training, I felt that I should give something back to the sport, and took up coaching at the University of London. I still help at the club today and gain great satisfaction from using my many years of hard earned experience, to help up and coming athletes. I have now coached three Henley winning crews and four crews that have been selected for the Great Britain team at the World Under 23 Championships (winning one gold and one bronze medal).

Away from rowing, I have run two marathons and am an avid West Ham fan. With two young sons to look after there doesn’t seem to be time for much else.