On the 6th July Brixham hosted the annual Vets Championships. Rowers aged 40 and over joined forces to form crews for the first mainland championship event of the season.
Based on the results from the World Pilot Gig Championships earlier this year, top contenders in the open category were expected to be Falmouth, Caradon, and Mounts Bay, while Falmouth, Charlestown, and Porthleven were the favourites in the women’s category.
As crews left the lee of the breakwater, they encountered strong winds and large swells.
The racing began with Women’s Round 1, consisting of multiple heats. The first leg of the course headed towards Paignton, crossed the bay, and then returned towards the beach next to the high walls of the breakwater.
As the morning progressed, the conditions worsened, causing crews more difficulty, especially at the marks. Coxswains failed to take wide enough turns, resulting in some crews coming to a complete stop at the buoys.
In one incident, a crew lost their rudder and had to abandon the race. An umpire boat was on hand to tow the boat safely back to shore, and fortunately, everyone was okay.
Lead race official Allard Blenijenberg explained: “The wind keeps changing here today, making it quite difficult for the rowers and the coxswains. The coxswains are probably experiencing quite ‘corkscrewy’ conditions, being tossed around a lot by the water. We are seeing gigs get stuck at the first and second marks, which slows down the racing and causes difficulties for the boats behind. On a day like this, we want to ensure that everybody has good racing to get the best ranking possible.”
The recent Championships saw challenging conditions that hadn’t been encountered in quite some time, making the races a true test of endurance and skill. Some crews struggled, taking over 20 minutes to complete the course, causing early delays in the racing schedule. Open Round 1 was no exception, with bows submerging and crews taking flight in the turbulent waters.
In response to the challenging conditions, the course was shortened for the Shield, Bowl, and Plate finals in both the Women’s and Open categories. A special shout-out goes to the Race Officials who rose to the occasion and braved the elements. Thanks to the kind owners of the Chimera, the Stream Team ensured the umpires stayed warm and fuelled with teas and coffees aboard their vessel for the day.
After a short break to let rowers dry off and warm up, the Women’s Finals commenced. The Shield Finalists lined up at the 3rd mark, racing a straight-line course to the finish. With only 2 seconds separating 1st and 3rd, it was an exhilarating sprint to watch. Tamar & Tavy crossed the finish line first, followed closely by Porlock Weir and Cattewater B in 3rd.
The course was then extended for the Bowl and Plate finals, incorporating the 2nd and 3rd marks. In the Bowl Final, Weymouth emerged victorious, crossing the line an impressive 6 seconds ahead of Teign B, with event hosts Brixham A in 3rd.
The Plate Final was marked by intense competition. A significant clash around the first mark led to an unfortunate disqualification for Caradon B. Cattewater A and Dart A engaged in a fierce battle on the second and third legs. Cattewater A gained half a length after the final mark, but Dart A surged forward, resulting in a neck-and-neck finish. The photo finish revealed that Cattewater A had edged out Dart A by less than half a second. Dart B showcased the club’s depth of skill by finishing 3rd.
The last Women’s race of the day was the Cup final, featuring top contenders Falmouth, Caradon, and Mounts Bay. As expected, Falmouth had been the fastest in their heat with a time of 16:30, however Caradon had posted the fastest time overall in Round 1 with 14:19, followed by Mounts Bay in 14:26. These were definitely the ones to watch.
Falmouth once again proved their dominance in the Vets category as they crossed the line with a remarkable 10 second lead over Caradon A in 2nd place. Collecting their 3rd place medals were Mounts Bay.
The Open Shield finalists took to the water for the final leg, racing from the third mark back to Breakwater Beach. Looe narrowly won this thrilling final, just 2 seconds ahead of St Goran B, with Teign B finishing 3rd.
In the Open Bowl final, Cotehele Quay B finished 13 seconds ahead of Tamar & Tavy, with Boscastle a distant 35 seconds behind in 3rd. The course was extended once again for the remaining races of the day, leading to dramatic moments in the Open Plate Final.
The Open Plate Final was filled with excitement. Cotehele Quay A missed the start, necessitating a fierce catch-up effort. The first leg saw plenty of clashes, with Roseland initially leading but overtaken by Porthleven on the second leg. Roseland regained the lead by the final mark, resulting in a stroke-for-stroke battle with Porthleven. The coxes could be heard for miles!
Roseland crossed the finish line first, just 1 second ahead of Porthleven. Hayle clinched 3rd place, narrowly beating St Goran A.
The final race of the day, the Open Final, had everyone on the edge of their seats. Caradon and Falmouth jumped out to an early lead, with the remaining boats closely matched. Contact was evident as both crews navigated the first mark. Falmouth surged forward, but Caradon maintained their rhythm, not giving an inch. The rest of the field stayed close, with 3rd place still up for grabs at the second mark.
Then, the heavens opened and rain poured down, adding to the drama. Caradon A and Falmouth A fought fiercely for the crown all the way to the finish line, with positions changing on every surge. Both crews gave it their all in the final strokes. Defending Champions Caradon B finished 3rd, 24 seconds behind the leaders. A long and anxious wait followed to determine the winner of the Open Final. Despite crossing the line first by a small margin, Falmouth were disqualified and Caradon crowned Champions!
Despite the challenging conditions, the Vets Championships turned out to be an exceptional day, offering crews a chance to showcase their skills in tough waters. A big thank you to Brixham Gig Club for hosting, and congratulations to everyone who took part!
Women’s Round 1 Results:
Vets Championships 2024 – Women’s Round 1 Results
Open Round 1 Results:
Vets Championships 2024 – Open Round 1 Results
Women’s Finals Results:
Vets Championships 2024 – Women’s Finals Results
Open Finals Results:
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