World Pilot Gig Championships 2017

The 28th World Pilot Gig Championship on the Isles of Scilly over the May Bank Holiday weekend

142 ladies crew, 51 ladies vets crews, 27 ladies supervets crews, 140 mens crews, 42 mens vets crews, 26 mens supervet crews all came together to make the 28th World Pilot Gig Championship on the Isles of Scilly over the May Bank Holiday weekend one of the most fiercely contested championships of recent years.

Racing began on Friday evening with the veterans and supervets races. This year, for the first time, the veterans and supervets were run as separate races. The conditions were superb, with the ladies racing in the early evening sunshine followed by the men as the sun dipped behind the clouds. In the Ladies Vets the Dutch were the surprise winners but were given a good race from Newquay in Spy and Helford in Pedn Billy. In the Men’s Vets race it was another good race with Caradon in Ann Glanville gaining the upper hand over Roseland in Polvarth and Falmouth in Black Rock.

“A hugely successful weekend, with great competition across all levels. Everyone came away feeling like a winner.” Anne Curnow Care, CPGA

In the Supervets category, Mount’s Bay Ladies in Kensa cruised to a clear victory and Helford Men in Helford gained a good lead over Charlestown in Grace.

The open event was run over two days with four races in each section. The first race was from St Agnes to St Mary’s Quay – a distance of 1.59 nautical miles – with the three following races run from Nut Rock to St Mary’s Quay – a distance of 1.16 nautical miles.

All gigs line up for the St Agnes to St Mary’s race; quite a spectacle with 142 ladies or 140 mens gigs on the start line. The long race winners were Troy with Fowey A in the Ladies and Kensa with Mounts Bay A in the Men’s.

Following the long race, crews were seeded into groups of 12. The races from Nut Rock  to St Mary’s Quay were then run in quick succession starting with heat L and finishing with heat A. The first two places in each heat moved up and the bottom two of each heat dropped to the heat below making for competitive racing throughout the Saturday evening and into Sunday.

The overall winners Caradon Ladies A retained their World Championship title from 2016 with Fowey Ladies A gaining 2nd and Emma Louise St Mary’s in 3rd. Falmouth Men’s A won for the 7th consecutive year, although Looe Men’s A gave them pretty stiff competition in the final race just sticking their nose in front  at one stage. Caradon Men’s A came in a respectable 3rd.

The 28th World Pilot Gig Championships victors

Class	Gender	Winners
Veterans	Ladies	Zeeheld – Dutch crew
Veterans	Men’s	Ann Glanville – Caradon
Super vets	Ladies	Kensa – Mounts Bay
Super vets	Men	Helford – Helford
Open	Ladies	Ann Glanville – Caradon A
Open	Men’s	Black Rock – Falmouth A

For more details about Gig rowing, head to our fixed seat rowing section.