Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) athletes Kathryn Ross and Grant Bailey, along with New South Wales’ Ben Houlison have been selected to represent Australia in adaptive rowing events at the 2010 World Rowing Championships taking place Lake Karapiro in New Zealand from 31 October to 7 November. 

Ross will team up with new partner Bailey, competing in the trunk and arms double scull at their first world championships as a combination, while New South Wales’ Ben Houlison will line-up in the arms-only men’s single scull for the second consecutive year.  At the 2009 World Rowing Championships Houlison won the bronze medal.

The new pair will be among the strong medal chances, after winning silver at the 2010 World Cup One event in Bled, Slovenia.

Ross and John Maclean created history by winning Australia’s first medal in adaptive rowing, coming away with a silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

Ross found herself without a partner to compete with 2009, but has struck up a impressive combination with Bailey who was introduced to the sport earlier this year. 

The pair has been training hard at the AIS in Canberra in preparation for the world championships.