STRATFORD-upon Avon Boat Club sent athletes to the GB Paralympic Rowing Trials for the first time at British Rowing’s training facility in Caversham.
The trials are invitation only with Stratford duo Jess Dowdeswell and Curtis Dickens asked to compete.
And Dowdeswell won her event comfortably, competing in the women’s PR1 single sculls – PR1 is where the individual is unable to use their legs.
Dickens finished second behind the incumbent GB rower in the men’s PR2 single sculls – PR2 is where the person has some but very limited use of their legs.
The trials test everyone against the Gold Medal Time (GMT), the time that won the last Paralympics in the event.
And with Dickens close to the GMT in his event, the Stratford sculler will attend two GB squad training camps, one just before Christmas and another in France in the new year.
Stratford Boat Club’s head adaptive coach, Mark Dewdney, said: “The trials were a first for our adaptive squad and we are pleased with how it went.
“Curtis is being seen as a prospect to join the GB Squad after the Paris Paralympics in 2024. Jess, at 20-years-old is a long term candidate for the GB Paralympic Squad.
“Our core delivery is to our club athletes and we have 16 other adaptive athletes who row with some kind of impairment.
“These are exciting times for us but we will not lose sight of what is our primary purpose which is getting people out on the Avon having fun.”
