Julia Mitchell
Marketing Intern
Boilermaker announces the 2026 Sitrin Wheelchair Challenger
UTICA, N.Y. (June 30, 2026) — Ellen Rowe, a paratriathlete and adaptive sports advocate from Ottawa, Ontario, is preparing to take on the Boilermaker 15K presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield as the 2026 Sitrin Wheelchair Challenger.
In 2023, Rowe had been training for a half-marathon when she contracted meningitis and spent nearly three weeks in the hospital. When she returned home in a wheelchair, she feared her days as an athlete were over. “I felt like I had no hope of doing physical activity again,” Rowe said.
Everything changed when a member of a local spinal cord injury support group introduced Rowe to adaptive sports. She immersed herself in the adaptive sports community, participating in sit skiing, wheelchair basketball, and sledge hockey before discovering paratriathlon and wheelchair racing.“I always knew movement was important to my physical health, but I had no idea how much my mental health needed it too,” Rowe said.
Since then, Rowe has completed her first 10K race using her everyday wheelchair and was recently selected as the first adaptive athlete on the 2026 Otto’s Ottawa Power Crew.
Last fall, while participating in Ottawa’s Army Run, Rowe met former Sitrin Wheelchair Challenger, Face Wallace at the starting line and was inspired to apply after hearing about his positive experience with the Wheelchair Challenge.“I had never had another adaptive athlete at the start line of a running race alongside me,” Rowe shared. “It was a dream come true.”
The Sitrin Wheelchair Challenge awards a racing wheelchair to the program participant who completes the Boilermaker 15K in 2 hours and 15 minutes or less using a traditional chair. Program participants who meet the time requirements are fitted for specially made chairs, which typically cost upwards of $5,000, according to Marc DePerno, STARS adaptive sports program director for Sitrin. Since 1997, the program has awarded 37 racing wheelchairs. Program participants are chosen through an application process. “These chairs are designed for speed and stability,” DePerno said. “We are proud to be in a position to sponsor the challenge and truly make a difference in the lives of these athletes.”
Unlike traditional wheelchairs, racing chairs are ergonomically designed for speed, efficiency, and stability, allowing athletes to safely reach speeds not possible in a traditional chair while remaining secure on uneven terrain.
For Rowe, earning a custom chair would open the door to even bigger goals. She currently competes in paratriathlon and hopes to one day represent Canada on the international stage. She also hopes her participation in the challenge will inspire others living with disabilities to pursue goals they may have once thought were out of reach.
“What a thrill it was to find out I was selected as this year’s Challenger,” Rowe exclaimed. “Each time I head towards the start line, I feel lucky racing alongside such talented and dedicated Para athletes. Visibility and representation matters. In using adaptive equipment, I hope to inspire others, challenge perceptions, and create opportunities for future generations. Every race means much more than crossing the finish line!”
The Sitrin Wheelchair Challenge is part of the Boilermaker 15K Road Race presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield on Sunday, July 12, 2026. For more information about the challenge, visit: https://www.boilermaker.com/wheelchair-15K. To apply to be the 2027 wheelchair challenger, please email mdeperno@boilermaker.com.
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Recognized as the “Best 15K in the USA”, the Boilermaker Road Race is in its 49th year. The Boilermaker, a proud member of the PRRO Circuit, is the premier event of Boilermaker Weekend. The race consistently attracts elite runners from all over the world, including Olympians and world record holders, and features distance running’s most enthusiastic fans, as well as the sport’s best post-race party, hosted by The F.X. Matt Brewing Company. To register for other Boilermaker events, visit the official Boilermaker website at boilermaker.com. Hotel accommodations and information about other local attractions can also be found on the site.
