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2002 was the first time that adaptive rowing was integrated into
the World Rowing Championships which took place in Seville Spain.
Our adaptive team consists of a racing shell called a four,
which has 4 rowers (each with 1 oar) and a coxswain for disabled rowers that can use their arms, trun and legs.
In addition there is a fixed seat double for rowers that can use their arms and trunk and a single fixed seat race
for rowers using their arms only.
In March of 2005 rowing was the only sport accepted as an official Paralympic
Sport for 2008 in Beijing.
The World Rowing Championships for 2005 were held in Gifu Japan, and due to the cost it was
decided that the four would not participate . Angela and Scott represented the US in the double holding on to their
title of 1st in the world and Ron Harvey defended his title in the single as third in the world for arms only.
I have been participating in the sport of rowing since 1975. When
I lost my sight in 1988, rowing and my Guide Dog were the two forces that helped me re-assemble my life.
In 2002, my Guide Dog Deanne, of 7 years had to retire just 2 months before
I went to Worlds, and I had to depend on sighted assistance and my cane. In October of 2003 I received my current Guide
Dog Hedda, an all black female German Shepherd. Hedda has accompanied me to Worlds in Milan Italy in 2003,
and in 2004 to Banyoles Spain.
In life, "It is not the critic who counts. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the
arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood - who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end
the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly."
This quote from T. Roosevelt is how I feel about the Worlds.
No matter what happens I cant really lose.
Announcements of the addition of rowing into the Paralympics for 2008
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