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=
After a weekend off to attend the British Rowing Indoor Championships where 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 squad were back on the water on Sunday in cold and windy conditions but delighted to be out in the fresh air
Stanton, who took time out to come to the Club to congratulate some of the squad’s award winning Indoor Championships medalists on their achievements
Edward Owen-Smith and Lance Fowler, both neurodiverse and just thirteen years old, talked at length to the President on their experience at the Championships. Paul Stanton commented, “Two World Records and multiple medals: what an
accolade for the athletes, the adaptive squad and Stratford Boat Club! However, praise should also go to all the adaptive coaches, helpers, parents, supporters and peers who encourage the athletes and form part of the larger adaptive family: well done all!”
