Following the success of the Maurice Hunkin 75th Birthday Regatta held in 2023, River Fowey Gig Club celebrated the talent of local boat builders Maurice and Louis by hosting the Hunkin Regatta on Saturday the 3rd of February.
On the morning of the event we caught up with Vikki Rolls from Fowey, she said, “We’re really lucky, we’ve got Maurice and Louis Hunkin who are local to us. Last year we arranged for lots of clubs who have Hunkin boats to come down and get involved in some racing. It was a really good event so we decided to host it again this year.”
Any club owning a boat built by the Hunkin family were invited to take part in the regatta. The unique event hosted 12 clubs from across Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, bringing plenty of vibrancy and colour on a grey and wintery day in Fowey.
Maurice Hunkin explained, “It’s really really good to think that all these clubs have come all this way just for this event. It was put on last year for my 75th birthday and that was a good turn out. They all enjoyed themselves so much they decided to enter again this year.”
This year’s Hunkin Regatta was a great success, hosting 7 racing categories for clubs to participate in. For most clubs this event was their first taste of racing this year. Ollie Banks from Culdrose told us that it is great preparation for their club before they head to the WPGC in May.
Vikki Rolls from Fowey also told us, “going straight into the WPCG with so little racing can be difficult, so being able to come out here today and race against lots of other clubs makes such a difference.”
The event unfolded with some tough competition across the board. Here’s a summary of the results:
Women’s A – Fowey: The Women’s A race showcased skill and determination, with Fowey claiming the victory.
Men’s A – Cadgwith: In the Men’s A category, Cadgwith were the dominant crew with a convincing lead.
Women’s B – Coverack: Coverack demonstrated their strength in the Women’s B race, crossing the finish line in first place ahead of Fowey.
Men’s B – Cadgwith: Cadgwith continued their winning streak, also claiming victory in the Men’s B category.
Mixed – Torridge: The Mixed category was a display of teamwork, with Torridge being the fastest mixed crew of the day.
Women’s Vets – Bridport: Bridport’s Women’s Vets crew showcased their speed, securing the top position in their category.
Men’s Vets – Padstow: Padstow were victorious in the Men’s Vets category, closely followed by Torridge in second place.
Having placed in the top 4 in every race, Cadgwith Pilot Gig Club were the overall winners of the day with the most points. However, their biggest achievement was being awarded the trophy for the ‘best kept gig’, judged by boatbuilders Maurice and Louis Hunkin.
Maurice Hunkin, who presented the award, said, “I’m really pleased to see how all the clubs have kept their boats in such good condition. This year, my son Louis made the trophy and we gave it to the club with the best kept gig, which was Cadgwith. Hopefully it will encourage everyone to continue looking after their gigs”.
Photo credit: River Fowey Gig Club
Louis Hunkin also commented, “It was lovely to see all our gigs so well looked after but dad and I decided the best kept gig, taking age into consideration, was Tamarisk from Cadgwith.”
The event was a great opportunity to show appreciation for the craftsmanship within our sport. Well done to River Fowey Gig Club for hosting.
Good to see and read,thank you.