GB Rowing Team smashes 80km challenge barrier

The GB Rowing Team Adaptive squad – rowers aiming to compete at the Paralympic Games in 2012 and beyond –  smashed through the 80km target set for them during their recent ergometer (rowing machine) challenge to raise money for charity Guide Dogs.

The squad, including reigning Paralympic champion Tom Aggar eventually rowed 110km and have already raised almost £700 for the charity during the Challenge which took place at  Broad Street, Reading, last weekend.

Donations are still coming in via http://www.justgiving.com/Mary-McLachlan1

Among those also taking part were members of the mixed adaptive coxed four (LTAMix4+) that won silver in the 2010 World Rowing Championships in New Zealand. The LTAMix4+ event is for rowers with minimal physical disabilities, including visually impaired athletes. Guide Dogs is an Associate of the GB Rowing Team and has been supporting the development of visually impaired rowers since June 2010.

The challenge represented the distance between Caversham, which is the GB Rowing Team’s training centre, and the Paralympic Village in Stratford and 80km was also chosen as the charity Guide Dogs is 80 years old this year.

Fiona Price, Head of Commercial Ventures at Guide Dogs, said: “2011 is a very special year for Guide Dogs as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of guide dogs in the UK. This challenge was a fantastic way to mark the start of the year for us, raise vital funds and deepen the relationship between Guide Dogs and the GB Rowing Team”.

David Tanner, International Manager of the GB Rowing Team, said: “We have very much appreciated the support of Guide Dogs in helping us to promote rowing as a sport for the visually impaired. The rowers were very keen to show their appreciation by raising money to help the charity’s wonderful work”.

ABOUT GUIDE DOGS

Guide Dogs wants a society in which blind and partially-sighted people enjoy the same freedom of movement as everyone else.

Guide dogs are not the only service we provide. We also supply other mobility services such as white cane training, we campaign to break down barriers preventing blind and partially-sighted people getting about on their own and we fund ophthalmic research.

The guide dog service receives no government or social services funding – it is supported entirely by the generosity of the public.
There are around 4,500 guide dogs in the UK.