The camp was designed to help Crimean rowers in their attempts to qualify for the Rio 2016 Summer Paralympics and the 2017 Summer Deaflympics in Turkey, although the international status of athletes from the region annexed by Russia last March remains unresolved. 

Rowers were assisted by 2008 and 2012 Paralympians Catherine Snegiryov, Maxim Manakov, Nikita Krek, Valentina Wheat, Vasiliy Feokistov and Vyacheslav Mach, as they begin a series of intensive training sessions.

The first of which saw Crimean hopefuls use rowing machines, ski simulators and the swimming pool, while later training sessions will see them on the open water at the Lake Moynaki rowing facility.

The athletes will also begin studies in open water on the water sport centre Dynamo, at Mikhailovskoe Lake, one of the few ice-free lakes in Russia.

On March 2, the rowers will get the opportunity to meet up and train with the Russian Paralympic national team at Yalta, as their build up to the 2015 FISA World Rowing Championships in Lake Aiguebelette, France.

The World Championships will be the main qualifying event for Rio 2016 and are due to take place from August 30 to September 6.

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