Tamar & Tavy Gig Club25/03/2007
Three Rivers Race
Tamar and Tavy Gig Club crews took to the water in the Three Rivers Race at Saltash on Sunday morning and showed glimmers of the potential it plans to reveal over the coming pilot gig racing season in this, the first race of the year.
The veteran section of the club nobly got up at dawn to take the newly painted and serviced boat Ginette down to the start for the first race of the season, organised by Caradon Pilot Gig Club, and rowed her back at the finish of racing.
The testing course runs from Saltash Sailing Club, upstream to beyond Warleigh Point where the Tavy joins the Tamar, then downstream to the mouth of the Lynher and back up to the Tamar Bridge, no stroll.
The ladies crew took to the water for the first race at 9.30 in weather far removed from Saturday’s glorious sun. Cox Ali Trotter, stroke Kate Reeves, Carolyn Dawe, Debby Vojkovic, Sam Adlam, Helen Dickinson, Ruth Walker took off in the middle of a hefty pack of rowers upstream towards the Tavy before swinging round the bay and back down to the mouth of the Lynher and back to Saltash
After a scrabble at the start, the boats strung out and fairly swiftly sorted themselves into their placings for the rest of the race. Clearly a little more rowing before a race helps, but Tamar and Tavy Ladies came in just over ten minutes behind the winners Falmouth (48.03) in 58 mins 38 seconds showing good potential for the coming season.
The men’s crew, coxed by a sprightly Bill Stacey-Norris, stroke Ed Hillson, George Hillson, Ian Page, John Hillson, Ali Trotter and Steve Jackson, showed that rowing a salmon boat can be useful for fitness if not technique. They put in a good time of 53 mins 26 secs, with their race also being won by Falmouth in 45.10, a club which is showing every sign of seriously shaking the podium upon which World Champions Caradon have stood for all of the last 12 years bar one.
The World Championships will be taking place on the Isles of Scilly over the first May Bank Holiday, with the club looking to enter five crews. The Championships promise to be the biggest yet with over 100 gigs racing over two days.
Tamar and Tavy is looking forward to having a second boat on the water this season. Iron Maid, on loan from her builder, and builder of the club’s current gig Ginette, Brian Nobbs. So there is plenty of space and opportunity for new rowers to take up a paddle and discover the fitness and social benfits of gig rowing. There are regular taster sessions for newcomers, and no rowing experience is necessary. Please see www.tntgc.org.uk for contact details.
