Growing up it was clear that rowing was always going to play a part in my life.  Despite my father being President of Kingston Rowing Club, I did not start to row until I was 14 at school.  Despite my famous name sake, my rowing connections were always strongest on my mother's side.  My grandpa, Peter Ayling, was third generation oar maker and boat builder and his son, my uncle, represented Great Britain in the Montreal Olympics.  When I was 15, Aylings gave me my first single scull, which I named Peter Ayling, which I went on to use throughout my rowing career.  At the age of 15 I learnt that Grandpa had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had been given only months to live.  At the time I had just been selected to represent Great Britain for my first time in the Anglo-French, and one memory that sticks in my mind is how proud he was to see the pictures.  Throughout my rowing career Grandpa was one of my biggest motivations.  For anyone that knew him he was a gentle giant and a true gentleman.  His Bing Crosby impressions at Christmas are etched in my mind.  I am proud to be supporting Beating Bowel Cancer in his honour.