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Laura grew on the banks of Loch Lomond. Her dad being a dairy farmer meant she and her siblings would be running across the fields to see the new calves or “help” with milking.

As one of three, Laura credits her competitiveness to her brother and sister who always keep her humble.

Sport has always been a part of Laura’s life. She dabbled in everything from netball to tennis (with dreams of becoming the next Andy Murray, no less!) Laura remembers watching Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins take gold in London 2012 Olympics in Hyde Park before meeting Katherine the next year when performing in gymnastics at a local community centre. This encounter left its mark.

While attending Balfron High School, Laura competed in pretty much all sports before making the decision to focus on rowing at Loch Lomond Rowing Club. This is a small club where she discovered the rowing community, and her coach Ian Butcher inspired her to work hard to reach her potential. It was here important values of enjoying the process and teamwork were instilled.

Laura studied Mechanical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Glasgow whilst competing for Glasgow University Boat Club. She later took a gap year to train at Leander Club before returning to her studies. During that time, she came across videos of Beach Sprints and with the support of her coach Iain Docwra, they travelled to Saundersfoot, Wales, to give it a go.

Her ability in sprinting and agility is what drew her to such a dynamic sport which offers a multifaceted challenge beyond traditional rowing. Described as a chill, laid-back person, who’s almost never on time, Laura’s temperament suits the unpredictable nature of coastal rowing. She embraces each wave and every setback with a “Go with the flow” philosophy.

She made her international debut in the Mixed Quadruple Sculls at the World Beach Sprint Finals in 2022. That same year, she won gold for Scotland in the Mixed Double at the Commonwealth Beach Sprints. In 2023, she earned silver in the Mixed Double at the World Championships, followed by another silver at the 2024 Europeans.

Now, Laura is also studying for a PhD at the University of Glasgow, focusing on sustainability in microelectronics. While she finds the subject fascinating, her long-term goal is to work in prosthetics engineering—especially in sport—where she hopes to help athletes push beyond perceived limitations and achieve their own impossible dreams.

But for now, Laura is determined to make the most of this wave she’s riding…