6 September 2016
Based on a press release from FISA/Worldrowing.com:
The 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are set to start on 9 September and the entries for the Paralympic para-rowing regatta are available here.
The four para-rowing boat classes each have 12 boats entered with a total of 96 para-rowers competing at the regatta course on the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. The athletes are from 26 countries. This is an increase on the London 2012 Paralympic Games where 23 nations competed. Thirty-six nations participated in the qualification process for Rio2016 to be compared to the 28 from the London 2012 process.
The para-men’s single sculls has the reigning World Champion Erik Horrie of Australia lining up against the 2012 Paralympic Champion Cheng Huang of China. Huang has done minimal racing during this Olympic cycle while Horrie, in the meantime, has accumulated three World Champion titles.
For the para-women’s single sculls a showdown is likely between current World Champion, Moran Samuel of Israel and winner of this year’s World Rowing Cup III Rachel Morris of Great Britain. There is also Birgit Skarstein of Norway who was third at last year’s World Rowing Championships.
Gavin Bellis and Kathryn Ross of Australia come into the para-mixed double sculls as three-time consecutive World Champions. Earlier this year, however, they were beaten by Perle Bouge and Stephane Tardieu of France. These two boats will face each other again in Rio.
The para-mixed coxed four has been dominated by Great Britain in recent years, but they missed the chance to race the ever-improving Canada in the 2016 season. Zimbabwe is racing in this boat category as they make their Paralympic debut in rowing.
As the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has suspended the Russian Paralympic Committee and Russian para-athletes from participating at the Games, the two Russian qualification slots have been re-allocated by the IPC to Germany in the ASM1x and USA in the TAMix2x.
The para-rowing regatta will run from 9 to 11 September with 12 September available as a reserve day in case of changes to the schedule. Racing over the three days is timed for 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. daily (BRT).
For race results, live race tracker, photos, live blog and race reports go to www.worldrowing.com
Para-rowing is currently divided into five boat classes: LTAMix4+ (LTA mixed coxed four), LTAMix2X (LTA mixed double sculls), TAMix2x (TA mixed double sculls), ASW1x (AS women’s single sculls) and ASM1x (AS men’s single sculls). The LTA and TA are mixed gender boats. Please note that LTA Mixed Double is not a class in the Paralympic Games in Rio. Races are held over 1,000 metres for all events.
Tagged: Birgit Skarstein, Cheng Huang, Erik Horrie, FISA, Gavin Bellis, Kathryn Ross, Moran Samuel, Paralympic Games, Paralympic Rowing, Perle Bouge, Rachel Morris, Stephane Tardieu
