EDF, the official partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, got school kids out on the water at the official rowing venue this week, with a little help from 5-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave.

The ‘EDF Community Rowing Challenge’, run in partnership with London Youth Rowing (LYR), was a hotly contested affair which saw 40 students battle it out at the official 2012 venue. LYR’s flagship programme, Row East London! is a five year, £1.25 million project aimed at young people in the ten Olympic and Gateway boroughs.

Britain’s most successful Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave, CBE, was full of praise for the pupils from East London: “It was fantastic to watch these inspiring young athletes complete the EDF Community Rowing Challenge after training so hard, especially when so few of them had even stepped into a boat before. It’s a wonderful achievement.”

As well as the sporting competition, the EDF Community Rowing Challenge aims to provide life skills to the young rowers as they progress to further education or into work.

Gareth Wynn, EDF London 2012 Group Director said: “It was great to see how committed and enthusiastic the young people who took part in the EDF Community Rowing Challenge have been. The teamwork and discipline they have shown to focus on clear goals will serve them well in whatever they go on to do.”