A new breed of rowers – Adaptive Rowing at Seville

By Melissa Bray

Logo of the FISA Adaptive Rowing Commission
© FISA

You open up your World Championship programme and out jumps, 4+ LTA. ‘What’s that?’ you think to yourself. A coxed four with little technique ability? A four with limited time available?

Welcome to the world of adaptive rowing. The 4+ LTA is making its first international appearance since 1995 at next week’s World Championships. The event is a sliding seat coxed four and the rowers must have some use of legs, trunk and arms, (LTA).

At last count there are 43 athletes from eight countries including Australia, USA, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain, Netherlands, Germany and Greece. They will be competing over a distance of 1000 metres and Adaptive Rowing Commissioner, Jose Nunes, plans to build up to 2000 metres by 2005.

The one event this year will include mixed gender crews with a variety of disabilities from intellectual to physical including being blind, but all participants must have leg, trunk and arm function. “Being the first time I imagine there will be a big difference in the time it takes for crews to race,” says Nunes.

In the future Nunes plans to add two more classes of boats, a double and a single with a fixed seat for rowers with use of their trunk and arms (TA).

Nunes has worked with people born with disabilities through to accident victims. He says it is up to the coach to be creative and adaptive and adjust the available equipment to suit the situation. Nunes believes that sport is one way accident victims can choose to rebuild their lives and, like able bodied people, the individuals ability is a reflection of their attitude. “It is just the same as able bodied people, you have some with the drive to compete and some that don’t.”

Keep an eye out in the heats and finals for this addition to the World Championships.