On the bright morning of October 12th, the inaugural Junior International Championships, sponsored by Plymouth City Bus and Go Cornwall Bus, took place at the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre. The event, also supported by the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, attracted hundreds of enthusiastic junior rowers eager to compete in this exciting new competition. With a vibrant atmosphere and sunny conditions, it marked a significant milestone for the gig rowing community, developed as part of the Wave of Events Project.
Ten gigs formed a competition pool for the event, beginning with seeding heats that included both U16 and U14 age groups, along with categories like Open, Girls, Mixed, and Free. Boats advanced to subsequent heats based on their finishing positions, allowing them to move up or down in the rankings according to their results.
Crews faced the challenge of three straight-line races, where stamina, endurance, and pacing were crucial to their success. Round one kicked off in Plymouth Sound, racing towards Mount Batten Breakwater before progressing up the river to Laira Bridge, featuring three timed heats of ten boats competing for seeded positions in round two.
For many participants, the ten-boat start lines represented the largest race lineups they had ever encountered. Heat 2 emerged as the fastest of the round, with four crews qualifying for the swiftest heat in round two. Joining them were Pendeen U14’s crew, who impressively posted the fourth fastest time in Round 1.
Photo credit: Mark Gilronan
The course changed direction and length for round two, with crews starting near Laira Bridge and racing a shorter distance downriver towards Mount Batten. Spectators enjoyed excellent views from the bus provided by Plymouth City Bus and Go Cornwall Bus, which served as an ideal platform for families and supporters.
Devoran U16 Mixed had a successful second round, battling Cadgwith U16 Free and Barnstaple U16 Free to secure first place, earning themselves a spot in the top heat for the third and final round alongside Pendeen U14 Mixed, River Fowey U16 Mixed A, St. Mary’s U16 Open, and Brixham U16 Open.
Following a short break for the rowers to recharge, the final round began under the warm glow of the autumn evening sun. The slower heats raced first, building up to the day’s fastest final.
The second race of the final was arguably one of the closest of the day, with all five boats overlapping at the halfway point. As the race progressed, Boscastle & Crackington U16 Free and St Mary’s U16 Girls pulled ahead, while Dart U16 Girls and Yealm U16 Open maintained the pressure. The lead in the U16 Girls category remained uncertain—could Dart make a final push to overtake St Mary’s? As Boscastle & Crackington sprinted ahead, St Mary’s stayed close, with coxes carefully avoiding collisions that could affect the results. Ultimately, Yealm surged ahead just 50 metres from the finish line, crossing inches in front of Boscastle & Crackington.
With anticipation building for the final race of the day, everyone was eager to see who would be crowned the first Junior International Champions. Some competitors knew they had secured their category wins, but four out of the five boats in the fastest final still had to contest the Open and Mixed category titles.
St. Mary’s U16 Open, Brixham U16 Open, and River Fowey U16 Mixed A quickly took the lead. St. Mary gained several lengths on the pack before the halfway mark, while River Fowey held second place, with Devoran and Brixham fiercely contesting third. The spirited Brixham chant echoed against the hulls of large container ships lining the course. St Mary’s finished strong, becoming the first-ever Junior International Champions and adding to their U16 Championships victory earlier this season. River Fowey secured second, while Brixham narrowly edged out Devoran for third, with Pendeen placing fifth—a standout achievement for the day.
Photo credit: Felix Lane
The event format ensured fair competition and thrilling races across all groups. Rowers like Barnaby Clark expressed their excitement: “This competition has given us something to work toward. I’ve been gig rowing since I was eight, and an international competition like today’s has been incredible. The growth in the junior category, especially today, is amazing to see.”
Representatives from Plymouth City Bus and Go Cornwall Bus, the event sponsors also shared their enthusiasm: “It’s a privilege to sponsor this event for emerging rowers and to be part of the local community.”
A remarkable 147 medals were awarded, bringing immense joy to the junior rowers—many of whom experienced the thrill of collecting a medal for the very first time. Lyme Regis cox Becky reflected on the day: “It was a really fun day, the sun was shining, there was lots of racing, and we made lots of friends on and off the water. Mixing up all the categories was a really good idea; it gave us a chance to race against some of the older crews—it was a great day.”
As the first occurrence of the Junior International Championships, this event served as a valuable opportunity to test the competition format. The team is already looking forward to continuing the development of this championship and building upon the successes achieved this year.
This inaugural championship promises to be an exciting addition to the gig rowing calendar.
Well done to all who participated!
Junior International Championships Results 2024
Don’t forget to catch up on all the racing via our GigRower Channel on YouTube.
No Comments on "Juniors Take Centre Stage at First International Championships"