“Going down the course at regattas and being the only [para] entry is soon to be a thing of the past. I am grateful for events like the Head of the Charles for making this event so inclusive and pushing for this growth.”
Maddy Eberhard
The world’s largest race has long been a draw for crews from across the globe; the atmosphere, racing experience and sheer size of the Head of the Charles is something few other events can emulate.
Reflecting this, para racing at HOCR has been on the rise in recent years. Each year seems to bring new categories, renewed interest and bigger names.
In 2023, World Champions Kathryn Ross and Corné de Konig made the journey to tackle the iconic three-mile course.
Kathryn, a member of the Australian national team, is a four-time World Champion, Olympic silver medalist and held the PR2 single scull world best time from 2019-2022. Her partner – Corné de Konig – is also a four-time World Champion, having finished second in the PR2 mixed doubles in Tokyo.
The duo – that only had three outings together prior to the race – dominated the mixed PR2 category, taking the gold medal by almost 30 seconds, setting a new course record in the process.
Speaking after the race, Corné remarked that:
“It’s not very common that partners come together and it immediately feels very natural, and that’s an amazing thing!”
Whilst the ‘classic’ para events catered for the likes of Kat and Corné, the recently created ‘inclusion’ events allow for even greater participation from the para-rowing community.
Inclusion events – where only half of the crew is classified as having a disability – are run for doubles and fours, allowing para-athletes from smaller clubs to experience the thrill of crew racing.
Maddy Eberhard, US National Team athlete, commented:
“I participated in the para inclusion double category; it was my first time racing in an event like this, and I really enjoyed it! It is crucial for regattas to have this race because it gives rowers the opportunity to compete when they otherwise might not be able to. It attracts more athletes to the sport by giving someone who is possibly the only para rower at their club the opportunity to race in a team boat. I hope to see and be a part of more events like this at regattas.”
Andrew Mangan, the US representative in the PR1 single sculls on the World Rowing circuit, also took to the water in an inclusion double alongside his sister Patricia. His comments echoed those of Eberhard:
“It was awesome racing at the Head of the Charles again this year. I was lucky enough to have my older sister join me in the inclusion mixed double! While it was very cold and wet, I was so excited to see how much the para events have grown this year.
“To have competitive para racing at the biggest regatta in the world allows everyone in the rowing community to see the power and excitement of para racing and inspire anyone with a disability to try it out. I hope that we are able to continue adding para events (maybe a para single event next year!).”
Para rowing is on the rise, and with more athletes than ever before trying to break onto the international scene, it’s a world that’s only going to become more competitive.
Facilitating this competition, however, is often easier said than done. Many para athletes still don’t receive the same level of funding as their able-bodied counterparts, meaning athletes often have to rely on organisations such as the Para Rowing Foundation for support with travel and equipment costs.
An important goal of the PRF is to allow anyone – non-disabled or otherwise – to walk into a boathouse, grab a blade and be comfortable on the water.
It’s an initiative countless organisations worldwide are taking on, and through increased collaboration, it’s one that will doubtlessly increase the talent pool that national teams have to draw from.
Events like Head of the Charles are crucial proving grounds for, the now agreed-upon suggestion, that there is an appetite for expanding competition opportunities for para rowers.
It’s hoped that in years to come, other major events can follow suit, affording everyone the opportunity to race at some of the world’s leading competitions.
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