The Cornish Barbarians Gig Club was founded in 2018 with a simple but powerful idea: bring rowers together from across the gig rowing community to share boats, form new friendships, and raise money for good causes. Since then, the Barbarians have gone from strength to strength, creating a tradition of extraordinary endurance rows in support of charities that change lives.
This year, on Saturday 9th August 2025, the Barbarians took on their biggest challenge yet – 50 kilometres of Cornish coastline rowed in one day, from Truro to Pentewan, in memory of Noah Jordan. Sixty gig rowers in ten Cornish Pilot Gigs came together with a shared goal: to raise funds for the Noah Jordan Foundation, a charity funding vital medical research into Alper’s Huttenlocher Syndrome, a rare and devastating mitochondrial disease that took Noah’s life at just nine months old.
The “50 VOR 50” began at sunrise in Truro, where crews set off under golden skies, taking on the demanding coastal route with all the grit and spirit the Cornish gig rowing community is known for. Crews rowed through shifting tides, gusting winds, and the unpredictable conditions of the Cornish sea, swapping into new boats and meeting new teammates along the way.
For many, this was their longest-ever row. For all, it was one of the most meaningful.
The 2025 row smashed records for the Cornish Barbarians:
- The largest-ever fleet – 10 Cornish Pilot Gigs.
- The biggest crew turnout – 60 rowers from across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, and beyond.
- The longest row yet attempted – a gruelling 50km coastal route.
- And most importantly: the most money raised in a single day – over £20,000 so far, with more donations still coming in.
The Noah Jordan Foundation is raising £100,000 to fund a three-year PhD research programme under the guidance of leading mitochondrial medicine experts Professor Robert McFarland and Dr Laura Smith. Their goal is to pave the way for better understanding, and ultimately treatment, of Alper’s Huttenlocher Syndrome – offering hope to other families in the future.
Noah’s story has touched hearts across the gig rowing community. Born healthy and happy, Noah’s sudden illness and devastating diagnosis of mitochondrial disease at eight months old left his family reeling. He passed away just one month after his first hospital admission. Mitochondrial disease affects around 1 in 5,000 children and is currently untreatable. This row, and the incredible support of the gig rowing community, brings hope that Noah’s legacy will lead to change.
The day ended with celebrations at Pentewan Sailing Club, where exhausted rowers came together to reflect on the achievement.
Will Best, Cornish Barbarians Committee Member, said:
“We’re sat here at the sailing club surrounded by the aftermath of an utterly epic day and we are really struggling to process what’s happened. Records have been smashed – highest number of boats, highest number of rowers, most kilometres rowed, and most money raised! You incredible people have currently raised around £20,000 and that’s still going to increase. We honestly can’t express what it means to us to see you all have such an incredible day after working so hard for so long to put it together. We love you all.”
The Cornish Barbarians Gig Club has now raised over £65,000 for charity since 2018, proving the power of rowing to bring people together and make a difference.
If you’d like to support this year’s campaign and help fund groundbreaking medical research, you can still donate via the Noah Jordan Foundation’s JustGiving page here.
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