The first ever Junior Cornish Pilot Gig World Championship brought success for rowers from the Tamar and Tavy Gig Club.

The one-day event based on the format of the World Pilot Gig Championships was hosted by the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre on Plymouth Sound on October 12.

The racing in Plymouth Cattewater took place in perfect conditions with boats competing in seeding heats to go through to the next round depending on their finishing position, with all categories racing together in loaned gigs.

The Tamar and Tavy boys, with cox Neil Richards, celebrating their success at Mount Batten after coming third in the U14 category. (Picture: Tamar and Tavy Gig Rowing Club).
The Tamar and Tavy boys, with cox Neil Richards, celebrating their success at Mount Batten after coming third in the U14 category. (Picture: Tamar and Tavy Gig Rowing Club). ( )

Girls Tamar and Tavy girls won the U14 girls’ category with Esme Kilbane in stroke and Stella Bowyer setting the pace for the strong crew of Aria Medhurst, Bella Hancock, Ella Hughes and Sylvie Hutchinson with cox, Helen Lloyd.

The Tamar and Tavy girls came in ahead of many mixed, open and Under 16 crews, winning a group stage after a close race with Yealm Gig Rowing Club before moving up a group and finishing first in their age category.

The open crew of six Tamar and Tavy boys with Victor Malm, Rohan Gratton, Tristan Van der Salm, Liam Richards, Harrison Cole, and Thomas Eccles with Neil Richards as cox, came third in the open U14 years category.

Plymouth CityBus was the headline sponsor of the event with the Ocean City Sights doubledecker the backdrop for the award presentations, here with the U14 girls team from Tamar and Tavy Gig Club. (Picture: Tamar and Tavy Gig Club).
Plymouth CityBus was the headline sponsor of the event with the Ocean City Sights double decker, the backdrop for the award presentations, here with the U14 girls team from Tamar and Tavy Gig Club. (Picture: Tamar and Tavy Gig Club). ( )

The boys, some just 11 and others new to racing this season, battled through the seeding race and the first group stage before taking first place in their group in the final with an exciting close finish of oars clashing and some nifty coxing. 

The Sunday of the weekend saw four Tamar and Tavy rowers representing Devon at the Junior National County Championships, again hosted at Mount Batten. Jamie Robertson competed in the Super-vets, Otto Malm in the under 18s, Rohan Gratton and Victor Malm in the U14s. Esme Kilbane was selected but unable to compete. 

Devon finished third in the inter-county championships after close racing, with Cornwall in first place, the Isles of Scilly second and Dorset finishing fourth.