Get competitive, enter the correct category

Within our sport we want to ensure that everyone who competes in our events has a memorable and enjoyable experience.

Within our sport we want to ensure that everyone who competes in our events has a memorable and enjoyable experience. We are lucky to have a varied participation base within rowing and therefore recognise that we have a wide range of abilities to cater for, so classification of all of our athletes is important, whether this be by age, gender, weight or a type of disability.

To ensure that everyone is able to compete at their appropriate level we have provided different categories to suit. On the 29th November we will be holding a classification assessment day at the East London Sports Dock, for those that need to go through this process ahead of the closing date for BRIC entries on Monday 30th November at 10am. Please contact jacqui.johnston@britishrowing.org to register your interest and receive additional information on either the times and locations of classification opportunities for physical disability classification, or the process required for visual and learning disability classification.

The adaptive classification day will go through the below procedure for all Physical, Visual or Learning disability rowers:

1. The physical disability (PD) classification process will be performed by two classifiers, one medical and one technical. The rower will be required to complete a British Rowing Adaptive Rower Consent Form together with a Declaration of Medical Conditions that may require Emergency Procedures. A signed letter or documentation from a medical doctor will be required providing a clear medical diagnosis. This Medical Declaration Form, and signed letter or documentation from a medical doctor needs to be provided by early November.

2. The classifiers will assess the rowers functional ability through a medical evaluation and a technical evaluation on a rowing machine and/or water

3. After these two steps, the rower will be given one of three outcomes;

i. Awarded a Sports Class (AS, TA, LTA-PD, LTA-VI)

ii. Allocated a Rowability Grouping (RUS, RFS, RSS-PD, RSS-LD)

iii. Unable to be classified for either a Sport Class or Rowability Grouping due to not meeting the minimum criteria.

If, for any reason you are unable to attend one of the classification days then you are able to submit a self-declaration form to see if you are eligible to enter the Rowability Open category, which is for rowers who would like to compete in an Adaptive event but either were unable to attend a classification day ahead of the event closing or were not eligible for either a Sport Class or Rowability grouping. To enter into this category and fill out a Self-Declaration form, or for any other guidance then please contact jacqui.johnston@britishrowing.org.

Photos by Aaron Sims