Alan Bell aged 95 from Bigbury, South Hams has won the World Indoor Rowing Championships. Having won the British Indoor Championships last December in the 95–99-year-old Lightwieght Division, Alan qualified to compete in the same division in the World Rowing Indoor Championships. As he is the only competitor to make the final, by default he would be crowned World Champion.
Alan amazingly completed the 2,000m Mens 95-99yr LWT category in a time of 13min 23.6 seconds.
The 2022 World Rowing Indoor Championships (WRIC) was originally scheduled to be held in Hamburg, Germany. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Championships was held virtually, with people competing live from all over the world. Competitors had to complete a 2000m race on a Concept 2 (C2) indoor rowing machine with times monitored live by officials at WRIC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Alan has rowed all his life, firstly in the royal Navy and more latterly as a member of Salcombe Estuary Rowing Club. At the age of 95, he is the club’s oldest active rower and, weather permitting, rows every Tuesday morning with fellow master vets (over 60 years old) in traditional Cornish Pilot Gigs. Each gig has 6 rowers and a cox and most of the rowing takes place on the beautiful Salcombe estuary, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty nestled in the heart of South Hams.
Alan has always enjoyed staying active and believes that rowing has given him the opportunity to stay fit and mobile even into his nineties. To compliment on the water rowing, Alan took up indoor rowing at the beginning of the first lock down in 2019. “It was really frustrating when the COVID lock downs put a stop to rowing on the water, so I borrowed an old C2 indoor rower from the club and started rowing at home”. Health permitting, Alan has rowed 2000m almost every day and has so far clocked up over 560km, the equivalent of rowing from Salcombe to Great Yarmouth along the UK coast. “The great thing about hopping on the C2 rower every day is that I can do it regardless of the weather. The British and World Championships has given me something to focus on. I never imagined when I started that I would end competing to be the World Champion!”.
Amanda Palmer, Chairperson of Salcombe Estuary Rowing Club is fully supportive of Alan’s endeavours “Rowing for all has always been our motto and we are proud of our diverse and inclusive membership. Alan is an inspiration to us all and sets a great example for people of all ages to take up rowing and benefit from the fantastic opportunities of wellbeing, keeping fit and being a valued member of our rowing community. Salcombe Estuary Rowing Club are very proud of their oldest active member who is now both a British and World Champion.and will be organising a tribute to our very own World Champion when he opens our intra-club gig rowing event on 6th March”.
World Indoor Rowing Championship details:
Scheduled 25th-26th February 2022
95-99 year old Lightweight Division race starts at 3:45 GMT, Saturday 26th February
Alan was the only qualifying competitor
Alan’s 2000m qualifying time to qualify was 13 minutes and 21 seconds.
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