In 1913, rowing for individuals with disabilities was initiated by headmaster George Clifford Brown at Worcester College for the Blind in Great Britain.
[1] Brown encouraged blind students to participate in particular sports in which they would be able to compete at an equal level to sighted players and do so without modifications.
Other organizations dedicated to rehabilitating the blind, such as St. Dunstan's Hostel, started rowing clubs shortly afterwards in 1915.
Single shells for the PR1 category must have stabilising pontoons attached to the riggers.
Adaptive events were added to the World Rowing Championships in 2002 and took place at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China.