On Sunday 6th July, the U16 Championships took place following a reschedule from June due to poor weather. This time, the event got off to a damp start, with the looming forecast of heavy rain later in the day serving as good motivation to keep racing on track.
With 16 crews competing, all but three progressed to the Semi Finals. Heat 1 was led by Newquay A, Heat 2 by St Mary’s A, and Heat 3 by Mounts Bay.
In the first Semi Final, St Mary’s A delivered a blistering performance—the first sub-nine-minute time of the day. Cadgwith claimed second place, while the remaining crews were unable to post fast enough times to progress to the Final.
The second Semi Final featured an exciting battle between River Fowey A (a Mixed crew) and Cotehele Quay (an Open crew), pushing both to excellent times, with River Fowey A taking the win. St Mary’s B (a Girls crew) and Mounts Bay (an Open crew) finished third and fourth respectively, but both secured Final spots to the delight of their supporters.
Following the Semi Finals, the remaining three crews entered the Plate Final. The Mixed crews from Tamar Tavy and Newquay B stayed close throughout, creating an exciting contest for spectators. Tamar Tavy, rowing in Hope, took first place, followed by Newquay B in Dall Lewyer in second, and Falmouth in Spy in third.
The course was lengthened for the eagerly awaited Final, and all six boats lined up for a more demanding race. St Mary’s A (Open crew) took an early lead, with Cadgwith in Spy and Fowey A in Ginette battling for second and third up the first leg.
By the first mark, St Mary’s had established a commanding lead. The inside line proved advantageous for both Cadgwith in Spy and Cotehele Quay in Dall Lewyer, allowing them to press ahead against Fowey A, who fought hard to retain third position.
By the second mark, both crews were still chasing Cadgwith, while Mounts Bay and St Mary’s B followed behind.
Spectators in the harbour were treated to a superb display of rowing as St Mary’s A, in Hope, crossed the finish line. The GigRower Stream commentators praised the crew’s exceptional technique as they were crowned U16 Champions 2025.
Cadgwith in Spy celebrated a strong second-place finish, with the Bristow family rejoicing, several of whom were in the boat.
Fowey A in Ginette secured third place and the title of U16 Mixed Champions, followed closely by Cotehele Quay in Dall Lewyer in fourth, Mounts Bay in Vigilia in fifth, and St Mary’s B in Emma Louise in sixth, taking home the title of U16 Girls Champions, a superb achievement.
Despite the rain, spirits remained high, and the volunteers—both on and off the water—went above and beyond. Newquay Harbour, the Fly Cellars, and the tripper boats gave supporters a fantastic vantage point to cheer on the young rowers, contributing to a lively and memorable atmosphere. With such close racing and outstanding performances, the future of gig rowing looks very bright indeed.
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