Adaptive Rowing at the 2010 World Rowing Championships

Great Britain is also strong in the arms, shoulders women’s singles sculls (ASW1x). Helene Raynsford was forced into rowing retirement earlier this year when her health deteriorated. But the 2008 Paralympic Champion is now back and ready to re-stake her dominance in her specialty event.

An intellectually disabled event of a mixed coxed four (IDMix4+) is in its second year at the World Rowing Championships and three nations will line up on Lake Karapiro. Hong Kong China finished first in 2009 and they come to Karapiro as the favourites. They will face Russia and Italy.

The trunk and arms mixed double sculls (TAMix2x) was won last year by Dmytro Ivanov and Iryna Kyrychenko of Ukraine and the close race saw Ivanov and Kyrychenko set a new World Best Time. They will face the new Australian duo of Kathryn Ross and Grant Bailey as well as last year’s silver medallists, Josiane Lima and Isaac Ribeiro of Brazil.

Nine countries are racing in the legs, trunk and arms mixed coxed four (LTAMix4+). The top crew in 2009 was Great Britain, but they have had a reshuffle this year leaving the door open for Italy and Germany who are both strong in this event.

Adaptive rowers race over a 1000m distance and at Karapiro they will begin at the 1000m mark of the 2000m international course. A floating dock will be erected to make for easy lining up of the crews who will then race to the standard finish line in front of the grandstands. Adaptive finals are the first of the World Rowing Championships taking place on Thursday 4 November.