Barnstaple Pilot Gig Club members attended the Brixham Pilot Gig Club regatta weekend on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August, when a total of 16 clubs and 18 Pilot Gig Boats competed in a series of 12 races on the Saturday, and veteran and super veteran crews competed in a knock-out competition on the Sunday.
The Saturday races took place on a kite-shaped course approximately 2.6 kilometres long, with three buoy turns before the long dash for the finishing line. The highlight for Barnstaple was in the Men’s A race when the Barum crew had a powerful start and were one of the first crews to reach the first buoy turn. Up to this point sea conditions were relatively benign, however after the buoy turn the water became choppy and slowed down progress, enabling other crews to stay in contention. After the third buoy turn Lady Freda (Barum) and Goose (Porlock Weir) were in fierce competition to take the lead, and as they crossed the finishing line it showed on the finishing Judge’s video that Goose was ahead by about 600 millimetres.
Other crew positions were:
Ladies B 11th, Ladies C 4th, Men’s B 6th, Men’s C 3rd, Men’s supervets 4th
At the end of the day the overall position for Lady Freda was sixth out of eighteen boats competing.
Write up: David Dixon
Photo credit: Heidi Clark/Natalie Pinto
