Emily's invention has 'oarsome potential' (From South Wales Argus)

Emily's invention has 'oarsome potential'

WHAT began as young Emily Webb's GCSE project has now developed into an ergonomically designed handle for top-class rowers.

Emily Webb, who is taking her oarsome invention to London next week.

A rower herself, 19-year-old Emily from Trellech, was working on her GCSE technology design project when she created the webbway handle designed to reduce the risk of injury.

Now it has been refined with help from the Wales Innovators Network (WIN) and prototypes are already creating considerable interest amongst coaches and athletes.

The webbway has since been patented in five countries and will be among 14 Welsh inventions showcased at the British Inventions Show in London next week. It's handle has an integral mechanism that enables rowers to turn the blade minimising strain on their wrists which can cause tendonitis or repetitive strain injury.

"It reduces the risk of injury, corrects technique and helps improve the performance of novice or competitive rowers which makes it an ideal training aid," explained Emily, who has been rowing competitively for five years.

The design was initially focused on reducing friction to prevent injury and blisters - an occupational hazard for rowers - but has been developed to improve performance.

Emily is a former pupil of Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, and has certainly done her homework on rowing. The webbway has been tested on the Olympic rowing course in Barcelona and by rowers at Westminster School and the Junior Welsh Rowing squad of 2006.

The prototypes were made by Llangollen-based Nomad Composites, carbon fibre specialists who are one of the top slalom and kayak designers and manufacturers in the world.

Emily - who has represented Wales in the Junior Women's Squad and now rows for Exeter University - has the distinction of being the youngest person to be supported by the Wales Innovators Network and has also been nominated for the Young Enterprise Wales Young Achiever Award for 2007.

She added: "The Wales Innovators Network has been fantastic - absolutely brilliant.

"When we had the idea patented we did not know what to do next but they created a lot of opportunities for me and gave me tremendous support and help."