STRATFORD-upon-Avon Boat Club’s adaptive section returned from the Mixed Ability Regatta with a suitcase full of medals.
Competing on the Po river in Turin, Italy, every member of Stratford’s adaptive squad won at least one medal on each of the two days of action.
Stratford made their fourth appearance at the regatta which features para, neurodiverse and mixed ability athletes.
A total of five side-by-side races took place over 500m and 1,000m courses with Stratford joined at the regatta by rowers from Ross and Glasgow Rowing Clubs respectively.
Stratford excelled in the small boats, singles and doubles but found life tougher in the quad and fours racing owing to a lack of competition in the latter events in the United Kingdom.
Stratford rowers Ethan Roberts and Gillian Middleton competed in their very first singles races.
And 13-year-old Edward Owen-Smith and Ricky Clutterbuck competed in singles at an international event for the first time.
One of the most entertaining races saw Stratford beat home crew Armida in the men’s mixed ability quads by just a third of a length.
And Roberts and Owen-Smith won the 1,000m mixed ability doubles events by comfortable margins with both rowers partnered by trainee coach Aron Altman.
Long-serving adaptive squad members Middleton and Hattie Throssell also came home with a handful of medals.
And Clutterbuck won three gold medals as he triumphed in a single, double and quad boat.
Glasgow’s Katie Ash-Wilson won the prize for the best female athlete at the regatta.
Stratford are also looking for para athletes keen to take part in the sport to join the club’s adaptive squad.
Anyone interested should contact: www.stratford-rowing.co.uk/contact on the club website and also type ‘adaptive’ in the subject box.
