Vincentian Rowing at Sarasota

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St Vincent and the Grenadines was recently represented at the 3rd Para-Rowing camp organized by the international Rowing Federation (TAFISA) and US Rowing (governing body for the sport in the USA) in tandem with Agitos held at Sarasota, Florida, USA, during the period 4 – 12 March 2017.

Devin Richards of Victoria Village, accompanied by Nicha Branker, the Secretary General and coach of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Rowing Association, attended the camp for the first time.

The camp facilitated the official classification of 19 year old Devin Richards, a bilateral amputee, in Para-Rowing as PR2 (formerly TA).

Training took place at the Nathan Benderson Park, location of the 2017 World Rowing Championships.

The camp provides Devin with the opportunity to train on the 2017 World Rowing Championships race course alongside athletes from other nations.

The camp also featured guest speakers in a variety of fields related to Para-Rowing. The camp concluded with a regatta on the Nathan Benderson Park racecourse on Saturday 11 March.

Para Rowing, formerly called adaptive rowing, is very new to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the association is encouraged by Devin’s performance at the camp.

He started his training on the ergometer at Sarasota, the machine used for indoor rowing, and by the fourth day he was on the water in a double scull with a coach from California. He then rowed in a single scull – alone in the boat – and did exceptionally well. Everyone is very impressed by Devin’s performance.

The only other Caribbean country attending the camp is Trinidad and Tobago with participants, Keith Thomas and Gillian Gabriel