Barnstaple Pilot Gig Club took their racing Gig Lady Freda and 16 rowers to Porthleven, near Helston, on Saturday 19th August to take part in Porthleven’s Gig Club regatta. Sixteen clubs in total attended, including top Cornish clubs, so the Barum rowers were delighted with their seventh place overall in the final results.
Sea conditions were not unlike those normally experienced during the World Championships in the Scilly Isles, with a choppy swell and westerly winds force 4 – 5 for most of the afternoon, although the sheltered harbour was a suntrap for the spectators.
Both Falmouth and Coverack competed hard for first and second places in the races entered into, although neither club entered every race. The first two races ( Ladies B and Men’s B), were won by Falmouth and Mounts Bay respectively, followed by the Under 16’s and Ladies A races, both won by Coverack. The Men’s A race was won by Falmouth (Coverack second), the Veterans race (men and ladies together) went to Penryn, and the final Mixed crew race was won by Falmouth. Mounts Bay also competed strongly, with a crew in every race, and with one first place, two second places, two fourth places and two fifth places actually took first place overall in the competition.
The Barum club results were:
Ladies B 10th, Men’s B 7th, Ladies A 13th, Men’s A 11th, Veterans 5th , and Mixed crew 7th.