Tag Archives: neurodiverse

World Records for Stratford’s Adaptive Squad!

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The British Rowing Indoor Championships took place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham at the weekend. A number of Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s adaptive squad athletes competed and returned with a numerous medals and two new World Records!

The team consisted of four neurodiverse rowers and one amputee. The latter, Ricky Clutterbuck, winning an early Gold in the PR3 Para Four Minute Event, covering 1086m. Ethan Roberts achieved 1140m and Ian Ward 972m in the Open Adaptive version, finishing second and fifth respectively. Ethan followed this Silver with a Bronze in the 2000 metres, completing the distance in a phenomenal  7:15.7!

Edward Owen-Smith and Lance Fowler, both neurodiverse and just thirteen years old, competed in the mainstream Year Nine Boys Event with Edward taking a terrific Silver medal in a time of 1:34.2 while Lance finished in a great fifteenth place out of twenty four competitors with a time of 1:45.4. Both beat the previous World Record of 1.53.9 in the PR3-ID (Intellectual Disability) category for 13-14 year olds.

All the Club’s neurodiverse athletes competed in the One Minute Dash. In the adult open adaptive event Ethan won a bronze medal with 314m, Ian was sixth with 274m. In the Year 9 Open Adaptive event, Edward clocked up 319m and Lance 284m, taking Gold and Silver. Again both beating the existing PR3-ID World Record of 261m.

Head Adaptive Coach Mark Dewdney “Two World Records, good results from everyone: that was a good day! The championships, and rowing in general, has to put more thought into how it accommodates adaptive and particularly neurodiverse athletes. We would have competed in many more events but the scheduling was inappropriate for some of our athletes with complex needs. We will be producing a report for the National Neurodiverse working group to this end.”

For media coverage, see Stratford Herald online  https://www.stratford-herald.com/sport/stratford-rowers-claim-two-world-records-at-british-indoor-c-9444995 and page thirty seven, British Rowing https://www.britishrowing.org/2025/12/the-numbers-behind-the-british-rowing-indoor-championships-2025 and Stratford Observer back sports page https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/editions/view/?/Stratford/2025/12/12&pages=24, online https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/sport/rowing-stratford-boat-clubs-adaptive-squad-break-world-records-at-british-rowing-indoor-championships and Concept online https://www.concept2.com/records?record_type=world&machine=rower&event=&gender=&age_category=13&srsltid=AfmBOoqXAOLOOWcgQ0ZjSWbBBp47rZM5KL5utP1KDx7IZBEVfMZBe5Av&adaptive_rower=3&language_variant=

Stratford’s Adaptives Star on the River Po in Turin

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Stratford upon Avon Boat Club’s adaptive section made their fourth visit to the large Mixed Ability Regatta in Turin, Italy last weekend coming home with a suitcase full of medals including a goodly number of Golds.

The two day Turin event has para, neurodiverse and mixed ability (the disabled and mainstream competing together) elements. There is five side by side racing over 500m and 1000m courses on the beautiful River Po.

The squad flew out the Wednesday before the regatta, together with a few rowers from Ross and Glasgow Rowing Clubs. Thursday and Friday mornings were reserved for practice, the afternoons for sightseeing and enjoying the 20C+ sunny weather.

Every member of the Stratford team won at least one medal on each of the days. The Club did very well in the small boats, singles and doubles, less well in the quad and fours racing: there is a lack of competition in the latter in the UK

There were a number of highlights for the club over the two days of the regatta:  Ethan Roberts and Gillian Middleton competing in their very first singles races, Edward Owen-Smith (only 13 years old) and Ricky Clutterbuck competing in singles at an international event for the first time.

There was an epic Saturday race in the Men’s Mixed Ability Quads: this turned into a close struggle between Stratford and the host club Armida. Stratford eventually won by a third of a length. Also piling on the wins were Ethan and Edward winning their 1000m Mixed Ability doubles events by comfortable margins: in each case partnered by trainee coach Aron Altman.

Also showing their mettle were the squad’s long serving members Gillian Middleton and Hattie Throssell coming home with a handful of medals. Ricky Clutterbuck winning three Golds over the weekend, one each in a single, a double and a quad. Katie Ash-Wilson (Glasgow), part of the UK squad for Turin, was awarded the prize for best female athlete of the weekend and Katie and Arminda Phillips (Ross) competed very successfully in many of the UK squad’s crew boats.

Head Adaptive Coach Mark Dewdney commented, “It’s a great event, enjoyable and competitive in lovely surroundings. Even this old man made a brief racing comeback to join the fun! Everyone is welcome to join these trips, able bodied and adaptive, providing you are willing to help a little and jump in any boat you are asked to. If you would like to consider support rowing for the adaptive squad at Stratford, come and have a chat with me.”

For more pictures of the adaptive squad in Turin, see Mark Dewdney’s selection https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GRtzGdmyoKZrTbef78yCCRyZe5NSZNoV?usp=sharing