British rowers receive early boost for Rio 2016
By Duncan Mackay
January 25 - Britain's adaptive rowers preparing for the Rio 2016 Paralympics have received a cash boost after money raised from a firework display in Henley last summer was handed over to them.
A total of £600 ($935/€720) will go towards a cox box, an in-boat communications system, for the development squad.
The cheque was presented at the Pinsent Redgrave Rowing Lake in Caversham, where the rowers are training for the Paralympic Games, by Henley Lions Club president Chris Adams and members who organised the display.
"The money will go towards developing team members for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro," said Louise Kingsley, GB Rowing team's high performance project manager.
Adaptive rowing is a relatively new addition to the Paralympics having only made its debut at Beijing in 2008 when four events were contested with Britain winning gold medals in two of them thanks to Tom Aggar in the men's single sculls and Helene Raynsford in the women's event.
Britain also won a bronze in the mixed coxed fours.
The rowers were one of five recipients who shared the display proceeds equally.
The others were Henley Sea Cadets, the Regatta for the Disabled, the Chiltern Centre for disabled children and Henley Youth Centre.
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