With Spring in full swing and the sun shining, on Saturday 8th April Dart Gig Club held their 2023 Regatta, racing a 3km course from just below the Higher Ferry, out towards Dartmouth Castle, across to Kingswear and back to the finish line opposite Dartmouth Yacht Club.
There were 11 clubs competing, which included Appledore, BRNC, Brixham, Cattewater, Dartmouth, Exmouth, Paignton, Rame, Salcombe, Teignmouth and Yealm.
Dartmouth is one of the first regattas of the season and serves as a great chance to test out the crews who will be racing in The World Pilot Gig Championships and of course, to eye up the local competition.
There were lots of races covering all ages from 11 to nearly 80 years of age.
Competition was fierce with everyone bringing their A game on the day. Many rowers having raced many times before raring to push their crews and prove if all the training will pay off… and many others having never raced before, harnessing the nerves and learning for the first time what it feels like to be part of something so exciting.
The results were as follows:
Appledore won Men’s B, Brixham won Under 14s and Under 16s, Teign won Ladies B and A, Salcombe won Ladies C, Men’s C, Ladies Vets and Men’s Super Vets and Dartmouth won Men’s A, Ladies Super Vets, Men’s Vets and Mixed Under 16s
Overall result put Teign in 3rd, Salcombe in 2nd and Dartmouth in 1st.
The regatta was a resounding success with so many members of Dart Gig Club pulling together to welcome all the visiting clubs with plenty of homemade refreshments, bountiful raffle prices and for the first time, selling regatta t-shirts and jumpers designed by Robin and Lily from the Juniors.
Dart Gig Club would like to thank everyone for coming and those involved who helped it run so smoothly. It was a truly fantastic day and a great start to the season.
Now we wait and see what happens in The Scillies!
Words and photos courtesy of Dart Gig Club
No Comments on "Dart Regatta 2023"