After putting all the necessary preparation is place, Weymouth Rowing Club was excited to be hosting a weekend of racing on Saturday August 31st and Sunday September 1st. The club had embraced the challenge to successfully deliver the concluding events for both the new Senior Summer Series and the established annual Jurassic League.
Unfortunately, Weymouth Rowing Club encountered major obstacles as adverse weather conditions led to the cancellation of racing for the final leg of the Senior Summer Series and, ultimately, the concluding races of the Jurassic League.
A report from Weymouth Rowing Club tells us more…
Weymouth Bay is normally one of the most reliable locations to launch and race gigs. However, this year’s conditions proved otherwise, as crews from across the region arrived to compete in the final leg of the Senior Summer Series league. Strong north-easterly winds, made the waters too hazardous to leave the harbour, with smaller boats struggling against the waves. After a careful evaluation, the organisers decided just after midday to cancel Saturday’s races as gusts exceeding 40 mph made the conditions nearly unrowable, even for the elite teams.
This was a great disappointment to all, as the league standings were tightly contested. Many crews were eager to break into the top 10 after a summer of competition, with up to 130 teams having raced previously across three premier locations, including Mount’s Bay, Pentewan, and Paignton.
Whilst the event cancellation was a disappointment, both participants and spectators were pleased to return to the London 2012 sailing regatta arena on the Nothe peninsula. This leafy natural amphitheatre, in the charming old town area, has suitable amenities and an atmosphere perfect for hosting fine sporting events of this nature.
Liam Patton from Weymouth Rowing Club expressed pride in the event’s success, stating: “It was a challenge but a privilege to organise this event. We feel we did everything right, including taking the joint decision with the governing body not to race on Saturday. I’m delighted that our off-water arrangements worked very well, as we were running the event in a relatively unfamiliar location. The launching, food, bar, camping, merch, and entertainment were all well received, with a few tweaks needed to maximise our use of the venue in future years and in better conditions.“
He went on to emphasise the broader impact of the series on the club: “The Summer Series has been such a positive development in our club’s season. Travelling to different locations and racing against top crews has helped raise the level of ability in our club’s Senior rowers. Not all of us can afford the time and cost to go to the World Championships each season, and it’s given those rowers the ideal alternative to experience a taste of what a long start line event has to offer.”
On Sunday, conditions improved significantly. Attendees from the nine Jurassic League clubs and Brixham Rowing Club gathered, and the day’s racing commenced with the Masters and Junior classes competing in the opening heats.
There was still time for the four scheduled Veterans and Super Veterans races before looming thunderstorms forced the racing to be quickly postponed and ultimately cancelled. At the start of the day, Poole Gig Club held a 6-point lead in the Jurassic League standings over Weymouth. However, by the time the storms hit, Weymouth had surged ahead by 2 points, marking the conclusion of the league season. Swanage secured a commendable third place, and the ammonite trophies were awarded to the top-performing crews in each category for the season.
Photo credit: Weymouth Rowing Club
Despite weather challenges over the past two summers, the Jurassic League has remained strong, with four rounds of points-based competition among its nine member clubs from Lyme Bay, along with Poole and Langstone, who excel in promoting gig rowing in the south-central regions. The league is now well-positioned to welcome new clubs from these urban areas, the New Forest, and even the Isle of Wight. As member clubs prepare to meet in October to evaluate the league’s structure and resilience, there is optimism that this local competition will continue to grow, align with the broader gig rowing calendar, and play a vital role in developing crews from outside of the sport’s heartland and areas of peak participation.
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