Now there's a first. Of all the things I never considered having to consider!! Having sent out information packs to various places, one such place was Gibraltar where I know they have a very good and strong interest in open water rowing. While there doing some training courses over the past two years I had the fortune to be introduced to some of their very keen rowers.
As a direct result of leaving an advert there with a rowing club, I have just had a phone call from a fourteen year old young man who wants to take part in The Challenge in 2012. By then he'll be sixteen and will be two years away from his dream of rowing the Mediterranean Sea!
My first thought was that he is too young! However, he has already been rowing for a number of years and has won many recent honours at the sport. So. How old is too old and how young is too young?
We've had interest shown from veterans rowing clubs too - asking if they are too old to take part! Surely if their doctor says they are fit enough to go, then who am I to argue the point?
The next point is that an Adapted Rower has also expressed an interest. He has no legs and would need to have his place in the boat specially designed. With a lot of our armed forces lads and lasses spending more time in hot and sunny places and suffering horrendous injuries, there are a heck of a lot of them coming home with bits and pieces missing! They are still fit and well aside from the missing bits. To my mind, this doesn't make them any different to the rest of us and I for one would be honoured to have them along as part of our crews.
We have also had interest in today from an RAF base in North Wales who wish to enter a team.
Wouldn't it be GREAT to have so many variations in our Challenge during the London Olympic Year of 2012?
Let me know your thoughts please. Leave comments below if you like.
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