Which Disability groups can compete in adaptive rowing?
Athletes with a physical disability, visual impairment and/or an intellectual disability are eligible to compete in adaptive rowing.
What is the minimal disability for adaptive rowing?
In order to be eligible to compete in adaptive rowing, it is not sufficient simply to have a disability. Specific and objective testing is used to determine whether a person’s disability results in sufficient limitation of their ability to perform the core elements of rowing. Only authorised classifiers are able to determine whether a person meets the minimal disability criteria for adaptive rowing. Below is a rough guide to the minimum classification criteria for adaptive rowing – it should not be used to provide athletes with advice regarding eligibility.
| Group |
Minimal Disability – GUIDE ONLY |
| Physical Disability |
Rowers with at least one single foot amputation at the tarsal metatarsal joint or three fingers of one hand.
Rowers with a neurological impairment equivalent to an incomplete spinal cord injury at S1.
Rowers with Cerebral Palsy or Acquired Brain Injury resulting in physical impairment such as spasticity, ataxia or athetosis in at least one limb.
|
| Visual Impairment |
Rowers with visual acuity must be at or below 6/60 or the visual field is less than 20 degrees. |
| Intellectual Disabillity |
Rowers with an IQ score of 70 or less and with significant limitations in adaptive behaviour expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills. |
What are the classifications for adaptive rowing?
The list below contains examples of the type of disabilities found in each class for adaptive rowing, current at March 2011. It is intended as a guide only. The list is not exhaustive and cannot be used for the classification of athletes, as this classification can only be performed by authorised classifiers. For more specific information, please contact Rowing Australia.
| Class |
Examples (GUIDE ONLY) |
LTA
(includes LTA-PD and LTA-B1, LTA-B2, and LTA-B3) |
This class is for rowers with a disability who have the use of their legs, trunk and arms and who can utilize the sliding seat. It includes athletes with a physical disability (LTA-PD) and athletes with a visual impairment (LTA-B1, LTA-B2 and LTA-B3). Athletes with a physical disability that typically compete as LTA-PD include:
- Amputees, or
- Neurological Impairment equivalent to incomplete lesion at S1, or
- Classification by the international sports federation for rowers with cerebral palsy (CPISRA) as eligible to be in Class 8, or
LTA adaptive rowers compete at club, state and national regattas in single and double sculls.
LTA adaptive rowers compete internationally in a mixed coxed four. A maximum of two visually impaired athletes can row in an LTA mixed coxed four.
|
|
|
|
Mixed LTA coxed four, Poznan, 2009
Lisa Brown, Henry Macphillamy, Peter Siri, Carol Cooke and Alex Green
|
| ID |
Rowers with an intellectual disability [Rowers with an intellectual disability are not eligible to compete at the Paralympics at the time of publication (March 2011)]
ID adaptive rowers compete at club, state and national regattas in single and double sculls.
ID adaptive rowers compete internationally in a mixed coxed four.
|
| TA |
This class is for rowers who have trunk movement and who are unable to use the sliding seat to propel the boat because of significant weakness in the lower limbs. It will include many people such as:
- Bilateral above knee amputation, or significantly impaired quadriceps, or
- People with a neurological impairment equivalent to a complete lesion at L3 level, or an incomplete lesion at L1, or
- A combination of the above such as one leg with around knee amputation and one leg with significant quadriceps impairment; or
- Classification by the international sports federation for rowers with cerebral palsy (CPISRA) as eligible to be in CP Class 5.
TA adaptive rowers compete at club, state and national regattas in single sculls.
TA adaptive rowers compete at international regattas in a mixed double scull.
|
|
|
|
TA mixed double scull, Varese, 2010
Kathryn Ross and Grant Bailey
|
| AS |
This class is for rowers who have no or minimal trunk function (i.e. shoulder function only). An AS class rower is able to apply force predominantly using the arms and/or shoulders. This class will typically include:
- Classification by the international sports federation for rowers with cerebral palsy (CPISRA) as eligible to be in Class 4; or
- Neurological Impairment with a complete lesion at T12 level, or an incomplete lesion at T10
AS adaptive rowers compete at club, state and national and international regattas in single sculls.
|
|
|
|
AS men’s single scull, Bled, 2010
Ben Houlison
|
DOCUMENTS
|
Go Rowing 
