Pararowing

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Oksana Masters & Rob Jones of the US in the mixed sculls (TA 2x) final at the Paralympics, London 2012. The rowers are fixed to the seat. Oksana Masters Rob Jones mixed sculls final 2012.jpg
Oksana Masters & Rob Jones of the US in the mixed sculls (TA 2x) final at the Paralympics, London 2012. The rowers are fixed to the seat.

Pararowing (or adaptive rowing) is a category of rowing race for those with physical, visual or intellectual disabilities.

Contents

History

In 1913, rowing for individuals with disabilities was initiated by headmaster George Clifford Brown at Worcester College for the Blind in Great Britain. [1] Brown encouraged blind students to participate in particular sports in which they would be able to compete at an equal level to sighted players and do so without modifications. Other organizations dedicated to rehabilitating the blind, such as St. Dunstan's Hostel, started rowing clubs shortly afterwards in 1915. Competitive rowing with blind rowers first began in 1914 between Worcester College and the Old Boys in one race and Worcester College and Worcester Boy Scouts in another race the same year. [1]

In October 1945, veterans from the United States Army, Navy, and Marines blinded during WWII entered into the Navy Day Regatta on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Some consider this event as the catalyst for international interest of adaptive rowing. [1]

Classes

Under FISA rules there are three categories for adaptive rowers:

PR3 (previously LTA – Legs, Trunk, Arms)
Use of at least one leg, trunk and arms. Also for those with visual and intellectual impairments. Rowed with standard boats and sliding seats.
PR2 (previously TA – Trunk and Arms)
Only use of trunk muscles. Boat has fixed seat.
PR1 (previously AS – Arms and Shoulders)
Limited trunk control. Boat has fixed seat and rower is strapped at upper chest level to only allow shoulder and arm movements.

Events

At FISA World Championships there are now 9 [2] boat events (standard nomenclature is used).

Adaptive Rowing Events
Boat TypeSeat CountSexCoxedClassFISA NotationFISA World Championships Paralympic Games
Scull1MenNoPR1PR1 M1xYesYes
Scull1WomenNoPR1PR1 W1xYesYes
Scull1MenNoPR2PR2 M1xYesNo
Scull1WomenNoPR2PR2 W1xYesNo
Scull2MixedNoPR2PR2 Mix2xYesYes
Scull2MixedNoPR3PR3 Mix2xYesYes [3]
Sweep2MenNoPR3PR3 M2-YesNo
Sweep2WomenNoPR3PR3 W2-YesNo
Sweep4MixedYesPR3PR3 Mix4+YesYes

Racing was held over 1,000 m (rather than the standard 2,000 m), but from 2017 the distance was changed to the standard 2,000m. [4] In mixed events half the crew must be male and other half female (coxswain may be of either gender and may be able bodied). Single shells for the PR1 category must have stabilising pontoons attached to the riggers.

Adaptive events were added to the World Rowing Championships in 2002 and took place at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "A Short History of Para-Rowing" (PDF). FISA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  2. "Rules of Racing" (PDF). FISA. January 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  3. "World Rowing – PR3Mix2x to be added to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Programme". World Rowing. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021.
  4. "Summary of proposed changes to the FISA Rules of Racing, related Bye-Laws and Event Regulations" (PDF). FISA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.