Lessons in adaptive rowing

Adaptive rowing came under the spotlight recently in London with the Adaptive Classification and Coaching Workshop for Europe and Africa, a seminar organised by FISA’s adaptive rowing commission.

The workshop attracted participants from 21 nations and commission member Simon Goodey was impressed by the interest and support for development of this side of rowing as adaptive rowing becomes more established. Goodey is head of Great Britain’s adaptive rowing project and helped launch adaptive rowing in Britain.

Goodey comments, “We now have a clear protocol for assessing athletes both medically and functionally for those with a physical disability. The workshop gave us the opportunity to assess athletes in the physiotherapy room at the London Regatta Centre, on the ergometer and on water.”

The athletes then raced in a regatta on the final day and Goodey says that he was particularly impressed by the TA (trunk and arms) scullers from Poland who recorded the fastest times during the ergometer competition. But, Goodey says, Great Britain is by far the most advanced nation in terms of their adaptive rowing development.

Modifications of equipment for the adaptive rowers continue and one innovation for visually impaired athletes is the use of tactile markers on the blade to indicate when the blade is in the square position. There is also work under way to improve the way of attaching a fixed seat to the boat’s slidebed. Goodey is very much a part of these developments being the founder of Pro-Seat Rehabilitation which designs seats for adaptive sports.

The workshop discussed the importance of being innovative and adding new challenges for the athletes and how to best deliver coaching instructions to athletes with intellectual disabilities in the appropriate sensory format.

Adaptive rowing is still relatively small and has been part of the World Rowing Championships since 2002 but Goodey is predicting that more than 20 nations will compete in adaptive rowing when it debuts at the Paralympic Games in 2008.

“I believe that most of the athletes will come from other Paralympic sports. This will ensure that the standard continues to rise with elite performers with a disability competing in rowing at the highest competitive level,” explains Goodey.

The seminar concluded with an ergometer competition and regatta.

Adaptive Ergometer Competition Results
Winner of Female LTA – Naomi Riches, Great Britain
Winner of Male LTA – Alan Crowther, Great Britain
Winner of Female TA – Jola Pawlak, Poland
Winner of Male TA – Piotr Majka, Poland
Winner of Male A – Andrew Stevenson, Great Britain
 
Adaptive Regatta Results
Winners of Mix LTA 4+ – Composite Club crew from Great Britain Adaptive Development Squad
Winners of M A1x – Shaun Sewell, Great Britain

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