Stephen Spurling

Stephen Spurling is an Australian former lightweight rower. He was an Australian national representative at four World Rowing Championships. He won a silver medal at the 1983 World Rowing Championships.

Rowing family Spurling's mother Marjorie (1914-1995) was a seminal figure in rowing on the north-west coast of Tasmania. She was a foundation member of the Reece High School Rowing Parents and Friends Group in 1964 and helped found the now-defunct Reeconian Rowing Club in 1965. She was a club delegate to the Northern Tasmanian Rowing Association and the association’s delegate to the Tasmanian Rowing Council. She played a key role in the development of women's rowing in Tasmania, and was the first woman to manage a state rowing team when she was given that role in 1980. She was one of the driving forces behind establishing Lake Barrington as the sport’s key regatta venue in Tasmania. She was awarded an OAM for her contribution tot the community and to rowing.

Stephen's brother David Spurling was also involved with the sport as a competitor and coach. In 1974 he stroked the Tasmanian King's Cup eight to a fourth place finish

International representative rowing Spurling made his Australian representative debut as a lightweight sculler at the 1979 World Rowing Championships in Bled. He was eliminated in the repechage. The following year he stroked the Australian lightweight eight which placed tenth at the 1984 World Rowing Championships in Montreal. It was his last Australian representative appearance.

Coaching career Post-competitive rowing Spuring moved straight into coaching. He coached the Victorian youth eights of 1985 and 1990 both to victory at the Interstate Regatta and he coached the winning Victorian King's Cup eight of 1994. He took Australian pairs and fours to World Rowing Championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995.