BAE Systems unveils new wheelchair racing wheel

Posted on 22 Aug 2013 by The Manufacturer

BAE Systems today announced the development of a new wheelchair racing wheel, while also confirming an extension to its UK Sport partnership.

In a briefing held at London’s Royal Academy of Engineering, BAE confirmed its partnership with UK Sport, which achieved great success at last year’s London 2012, will continue to the tune of £800,000.

This accounts for technology access for athletes in the run-up to Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016, applying scientific innovation to training, recovery, injury prevention and competition.

2012 Paralympic silver medallist Shelly Woods unveiled BAE Systems’ new wheelchair racing wheel, said to improve the acceleration of Great Britain’s wheelchair racers by up to 20 per cent.

The wheel was developed at the company’s R & D centre in Bristol with designers Draft, who design and manufacturer active user and sports wheelchairs.

Woods said BAE Systems can help provide the edge in the ever competitive sporting world.

“Paralympic sport is growing year on year in strength and depth, and being able to make use of the best in British engineering, thanks to this partnership between BAE Systems and UK Sport, can help keep British athletes at the forefront of this fiercely competitive environment,” she said.

BAE Sysems, which has access to 18,000 engineeers, has also begun investigating a simulator to enable GB Taekwondo athletes to develop new skills while reducing injury risks.

Simon Howison, engineering projects director at BAE Systems, said the partnership demonstrates how engineering can be applied in areas like sport which can encourage more young people to consider careers in STEM subjects.

“This partnership will continue to help us demonstrate how engineering can be applied in many different areas and encourage more young people to consider a career in science, technology, engineering and maths.”

He added: “We’re hugely proud to work with British athletes and help support incremental gains in performance that might make a real difference to the nation’s sporting success.”