Like many gig rowers, Tony Gore is a keen adventurer. In this article he shares his experience of the Sulkava Suursoudut—a long-distance rowing race in Finland. It’s a fantastic adventure for anyone who enjoys endurance rowing and wants to try something a little different in a truly unique setting.
In Finland, the equivalent of our gigs are ‘kirkkovenne – church boats’. These traditional boats were originally used to ferry people from remote lakeside farms to church—back when communities were more isolated and road networks were sparse.
Traditionally, church boats have 14 rowers (7 pairs) and a cox As with our gigs, church boats have transitioned over time from working craft to racing vessels and the design standardised, and while many retain fixed seats, some now feature sliding seats.
The highlight of the Finnish rowing calendar is the Sulkavan Suursoudut, a race held every July on Lake Saimaa in Eastern Finland. The route circles an island and covers just under 60km.
I first heard about the race back in 2019, while cross-country skiing the length of Finland. By 2023, I decided it was now or never—I needed to take on the challenge while still fit and healthy. I reached out to some Finnish friends, and on 13 July 2024, I found myself on the start line in the small town of Sulkava.
After some Googling, I discovered I’d be rowing alongside an MP, the town mayor, and several business leaders! In the church boat, the seats are numbered from the cox 1 to 7 at the bow. To my dismay, I was what we call “bow side”, tackling the challenge of keeping time with the person sitting to my left, with my left arm getting in the way of his right arm. They told me that everyone complains about the timing, but they hoped that as I was setting the timing and didn’t speak much Finnish, I would not understand the complaints and just keep ploughing on.
I had been told we would take 6-7 hours and that part way we would stop to ‘stretch our legs, eat something and take a toilet break’. The top boats do the distance in just over 5 hours without stopping – in our class the fastest was 4:57:11 and the slowest 7:49:09. We stopped for about 15 minutes during our break, and came in just over the 6 hour mark.
Photo credit: Tony Gore
Rowing at 90% of race pace for 6 hours is no small feat. Add to that the weather—10°C hotter than Somerset—and you’ve got a serious test of stamina. It was already T-shirt weather at 5:30am, and by early afternoon it hit 27°C. Not every year is this warm, but you need to be prepared. We calculated that each rower needed about 3 litres of fluids and plenty of calories. Some of the more experienced crews had elaborate hydration systems—drinking tubes rigged to containers of what looked suspiciously like cider (I was assured it was sports drink!).
Whether you’re in it for the race or the fun of trying something new, I can’t recommend Sulkavan Suursoudut enough. There are several race categories to choose from. and thanks to the midnight sun, the music and entertainment go on until 4am each night!
I plan to return in 2025 with a full fixed-seat church boat crew. The main race is at 3pm on Friday 11 July, and I currently have three seats available. I can’t promise perfect weather—but I can promise a fantastic adventure and a warm welcome.
If you are interested in joining us, please contact me directly via email: tony@aspen.uk.com
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