By Isle of Wight Observer
Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club returned from Portsmouth with the Tudor Challenge Trophy after a successful event on Saturday.
The Tudor Challenge competition is for fixed seat rowing boats only and the course is approximately 10 miles long, taking place in Langstone Harbour.
A field of 25 boats of many different types and crews took part, with some travelling from as far afield as Scotland and Spain, including Yarmouth’s ‘Sea Spirit’, a Cornish Pilot Gig with its crew of seven.
Yarmouth started in the last group of staggered starts, but soon pulled away from the other Pilot Gigs and slowly overhauled the other crafts. By half way (near Hayling Island bridge), the crew were beginning to suffer a little from the heat; however, on the run home, the south west wind began to gust to Force Five which, against the now ebbing tide, began to produce some challenging conditions.
At this point the crew really rose to the challenge and continued to relentlessly catch the remaining boats, and, by the finish, had overtaken all but one of the fleet, some of whom had a 15-minute head start.
When the final results were worked out, taking handicaps into account, Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club had achieved: fastest Pilot Gig (first in class). They won second place overall, with their time of 1h 52m, and were awarded the ‘Tudor Relic’ Trophy – awarded to the Fastest Men’s Vets Crew (all rowers over 55). The trophy is made from a timber from the Tudor Rose.
Isle of Wight Observer