Scilly Gig crews have once again proven themselves to be a dominant force on the rowing scene at the moment; coming out on top in many of the events at this years’ Newquay Championships. This year the women’s and men’s events were combined in the same weekend due to earlier cancellations.
The Highlight of the weekend from the Scillonian perspective was undoubtedly the women’s event, where the World Champion Tregarthens crew won the overall title and the Serica crew finished in sixth position. Out of a field of 53 (and each club being allowed to enter only two crews) Scilly’s combined position was top of the list.
In the Final, the Tregarthens crew were rowing in the Corsair and the Serica crew were rowing in the William Peters; both of these gigs are quite highly rated. In the final race, one circuit around a triangle course, the winning Scilly crew came in nine lengths ahead of the rest of the field. The Serica crew were ecstatic with their performance and were glad to prove their form in a wider arena with a lighter gig.
Both crews celebrated long into the Newquay night and were just about up in time for Scilly News to ask them some questions on their win. The coxswain, Bo Green, said, “the fact that we rowed in the Corsair neither helped or hindered us, overall I was satisfied with the gig”. He later added, “It’s the crew that shows through in the end though”. The Tregarthens nearly didn’t make it to the re-scheduled event because of transport costs. They had a sponsorship list to be proud of, thanking The IOS Council, Boatmen’s Association, Wholesalers, Scilly Plaice, Scillonian magazine, Tregarthens Hotel, The Mermaid, Bay view hotel; Newquay, Kavorna, Ralph Handy and Keith Buchanan at Rat Island Sails. All of which prove that gig rowing in Scilly is truly a team effort.
The Tregarthens crew have not actually rowed together since their win in the world championships last year, making their win all the more impressive. In the domestic season the six rowers spanned across three different crews competing against each other.
The Island men’s contingent did not impress as much as the women, the two Island crews, the Dauntless and the Tregarthens, were knocked out before the final. There were Scillonian representatives in the final though, two Island men helped out the Par crew and Nathan Woodcock of St. Mary’s came second in a Falmouth crew.
The Mary Newman crew from Caradon yet again won the men’s event. Their unbeatable form has seen them win every event for the past four years. This year they won by six lengths.