Adaptive rowers test Karapiro waters

Aggar is the Paralympic champion in the arms, shoulders single scull and he also has the World Best Time in that event. He trains full time and is on track for big things at the 2012 Paralympic Games. Today he raced in slight tail wind conditions on slightly bobbly waters of Lake Karapiro.

The adaptive rowers made use of a floating, removable platform set up at the 1000m mark of the 2000m rowing course as these events are raced over 1000m. The platform is an adaptation of the one used here at the 1978 World Rowing Championships when women rowers raced 1000m.

Arms, Shoulders Men’s Single Scull (ASM1x) – heats

This event has attracted the biggest field of the adaptive events with 11 countries lining up. They were spread over two heats with the top boat in each heat taking a direct path to the finals. Tom Aggar (GBR) led the way in heat one and by the half way point he was completely clear of the rest of the field. It would take a shipwreck for Aggar not to win. Using a mid 30s stroke rate, Aggar pushed on to finish first and easily qualify for the final. Aggar broke the World Best Time with his win.

Heat two featured New Zealand for the second time internationally in this event. Daniel McBride of New Zealand used a very high stroke rate of around 44 strokes per minute to hold his boat in the lead. Russia’s Alexey Chuvashev challenged hard, but McBride was able to react and hold off Chuvashev to finish first and qualify for the final.

Trunk, Arms Mixed Double Sculls (TAMix2x) – heats

This race had athletes who are able to use their body swing to help propel the boat and the seven countries entered were divided into two heats. A very close battle went on in heat one with Australia and France duking it out. A more in synch stroke by Perle Bouge and Stephane Tardieu of France gave them the edge at the end and a spot in the final. This is a very good result for Bouge who is in her first season of international racing.

Heat two came down to a lung-burning sprint when Brazil attacked the leading crew from Ukraine. Ukraine’s Dmytro Ivanov and Iryna Kyrychenko, the reigning World Champions, got out into the lead at the start and settled into a 36 stroke rate with Brazil slipping back. But then as the crews came into the final 300m of this 1000m race, Brazil charged. It almost caught Ukraine off guard as they took another 100m before they reacted. Despite Brazil’s gallant effort, Ukraine finished first to qualify for the final. 

Legs, Trunk, Arms Mixed Coxed Four (LTAMix4+) – heats

Divided into two heats this event required crews to be in the top two positions if they wanted a direct path to the final. These athletes have a variety of disabilities with a very specific classification system deciding if an athlete qualifies to race in this event. In heat one Germany shot out into the lead taking Canada with them. The 500m, half way point, saw these two boats neck-and-neck with Germany holding a very slight edge. The new Canadian crew then went on to have a better second half and managed to pull away from Germany by just enough to win. Canada qualified for the final with the fastest qualifying time and Germany advance from second.

The second heat was delayed after the starting light had to be adjusted. When the race finally started reigning World Champions Great Britain showed why they are World Champions. Great Britain got into a 37 stroke rate rhythm and looked very classy over their competition. Ukraine put up a good challenge, but it was Great Britain all the way. The British, stroked by Katherine Jones, finished first and Ukraine qualify from second.