Countdown to the World Pilot Gig Championships 2025

Yahoo

05-05-2025

'The Boat Race' may be over, but there is a much bigger one taking place on the Isles of Scilly over this bank holiday weekend.
Forget 16 rowers in two boats on a river and imagine more than 3,000 rowers in 130 boats on the Atlantic Ocean.
The World Pilot Gig Championships is a fiercely competitive series of rowing races in Cornish Pilot Gigs.
Rivalries are as fierce as on the Thames, with last year's winners River Fowey women and Looe men determined to hold onto the coveted trophies.
Last year's winners will be hoping to retain their titles (Image: Cornish Pilot Gig Association) All crews will have submitted themselves to gruelling training programmes throughout challenging winter conditions.
Some 452 crews will be taking part this year, with four gig rowing clubs from the Netherlands travelling the furthest to be there.
It takes two months for the Scillonian ferry and a freighter to bring all the boats to the islands.
Gigs lined up ready to race (Image: Cornish Pilot Gig Association) This is the 34th championships, with the event starting in 1990 and taking a two-year break during the pandemic.
'This is a truly spectacular event with some of the long races having more than 100 boats on a mile-long start line. It brings thousands to the islands to take part and spectate,' said Tristan Hick, chairman of the World Pilot Gig Championships, as the islands prepare for the influx of visitors.
'From young rowers just starting out, to seasoned veterans, spectators, and the top-tier athletes who push the sport to its limits – there's a tangible sense of unity, tradition, and excitement that reminds us all why this event is so special.
'We're proud to share our heritage and islands with the world.'
Teams ready for the off (Image: Cornish Pilot Gig Association) The event is based on St Mary's, the largest of the five inhabited Isles of Scilly, which are 28 miles off Lands End.
Gigs are 32 foot long, traditionally built open wooden boats rowed by six crew and steered by a coxswain.
The sport has grown enormously since its revival in the 80s, and there are now 8,000 rowers in 90 clubs spread across the UK, with more in Europe and America.
This weekend's racing starts on Friday morning (May 2) and finishes on Sunday afternoon (May 4).
Last year's Ladies' winners Fowey (Image: Cornish Pilot Gig Association) Races will be streamed on YouTube (weather permitting) via youtube.com/@gigrower3894/streams
Among the clubs locally taking part will be Falmouth Pilot Gig Club, and rower Jordan Smith said: 'Falmouth's men's and ladies' squads are heading into the 2025 World Pilot Gig Championships on the Isles of Scilly with depth, determination, and momentum.
'After months of hard training, the club is proud to be fielding the maximum number of crews across multiple race categories — proof of the strength and growth of the squad as a whole.'
The Falmouth Men's Squad came together on April 11 to round off the main phase of their pre-season training with a final on-water session around Falmouth Docks.
This year marks a major achievement for the squad, as they've qualified the maximum number of racing boats. Three Open crews will represent Falmouth at the Championships, alongside entries in the Veterans, Super Vets, and Masters categories.
The Veterans will head into the weekend as defending World Champions, hoping to replicate last year's dramatic win. The Men's A crew enters the competition as current County Champions, while the ever-improving Men's B crew and the strong Falmouth Masters squad are also expected to perform well.
Special mention goes to the Super Vets and Men's C crews, who've navigated more last-minute changes than usual but have pulled together impressively in recent weeks.
Falmouth Gig Club have been busy preparing (Image: Falmouth Gig Club) Since September, both land and water-based training has been in full swing, with the A and B crews alone racking up over 2,000 sessions. Competition for places has been fierce.
The Falmouth Ladies' Squad has trained every bit as hard as their male counterparts, showing fierce commitment across the board. This year, four crews will represent Falmouth in the Women's category.
The Ladies A crew features a fresh combination, blending experienced rowers — including former finalists and World Pilot Gig champions—with new talent making their Scilly debut.
The Ladies B crew has shown consistent improvement throughout the season. With a solid core of returning rowers, they've developed well as a unit and will be aiming to make their mark in the competition.
Joining them are the Ladies Development crew, made up largely of very new rowers who are already defying expectations. As a true unknown quantity, they head into the Championships with the potential to surprise — and could well emerge as dark horses.
Also competing in the Open are the reigning Veterans World Champions, the Ladies' Vets crew. After a dominant win last year, they return to defend their title — and their entry into the Women's open shows just how competitive and ambitious this crew remains.
The Ladies' Vets B crew will also represent Falmouth in the Veterans category, reflecting their dedication both on and off the water. They're joined by the Ladies' Masters, a crew full of experience and intent, with a clear goal in mind for the weekend.