Rowing to come ashore in SVG

Efforts to get the sport of rowing entrenched in St Vincent and the Grenadines could see this country entering a team in that discipline at the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016.{{more}}

Anchoring the process is Raffique Browne, who, along a few other persons, is making the administrative strokes to realise the formation of a bona fide St Vincent and the Grenadines Rowing Association.

Browne told SEARCHLIGHT recently that they are going through the secretariat of the National Olympic Committee of St Vincent and the Grenadines to get membership of the International Rowing Federation (FISA).

Browne also revealed that they are liaising with other organizations to get guidance on several procedural matters pertaining to the sport.

“Things are going forward smoothly so far, but things take time; we can’t actually put a time frame on it yet… after that, it should be smooth sailing from there,” Browne said.

Thereafter, Browne noted that procuring the necessary equipment from the parent body will be the next step.

And, getting the other bases covered is already being pursued by Browne and his team of organisers.

He said they have earmarked a spot behind the Arnos Vale Playing Field as storage space for the equipment, once acquired.

They are looking at Great Head Bay as the preferred training space.

“…. Rowing is usually done in the lakes, so for us using the bay areas which are calm, but still a little bit more choppy, would give an advantage in terms of cutting down … our times,” Browne advanced.

Acknowledging that some years ago attempts had been made here to have the sport introduced, Browne said his interests were heightened during the last Olympic Games in London.

“…When I saw the last Olympics and I saw the US women’s teams, they gained medals. The women were saying that they were in the gym for about three years and practised the actual rowing until the final year before the Olympics,” Browne stated.

Browne believes with the physicality of Vincentians, using such experience could be to the sport’s benefit here.

An optimistic Browne said: “We do have a good chance making it very far and increasing our chances of bringing home a medal for St Vincent and the Grenadines. Jamaica and Grenada, they have their stars in Usain and so forth …We are trying to carve out a niche for ourselves. They are taking to the track; we want to take up a spot in rowing.”

Browne said apart from the competitive aspect of rowing, the sport is perfect not only for able-bodied persons, but those who are paraplegic, as a form of exercise. (RT)