Gig rowers head to Scilly for world championships

The competition is always fierce at the World Pilot Gigs World Championships

Excitement is building on the Isles of Scilly as the World Pilot Gig Championships (WPGC) get underway today.

Hundreds of gig rowers from Cornwall, as well as other parts of the UK and Europe are making the trip to the islands, 27 miles west of Land's End.

This is the 33rd time the championships have been held on Scilly, and 441 crews have signed up to compete.

The event provided a big boost for the islands' economy at the start of the tourism season.

Men and women race across eight classes, including supervets and masters

LISTEN: Tristan Hick looks ahead to the championships on BBC Radio Cornwall

The Men's A crew from Looe in 'Currah's Pride' will be looking to defend their title and the reigning women's champions are the Helford A crew in 'Morgawr'.

Tristan Hick, the chairman of the WPGC organising committee, is looking forward to a very busy weekend.

He said: "It's a very unique sport.

"Gig rowing is a very addictive, physical sport but it's also got amazing traditions and an amazing social side as well."

The new gig was launched by St. Agnes’ oldest resident, Dorothy Barker

Nine new gigs will race for the first time at this year's event, including from one of the five inhabited Scilly islands, St Agnes.

St Agnes Gig Club will race its first new gig for more than a century - the 'Cetewayo' was built by Patrick Bird, who grew up on the island.

"I’m very proud to have built Cetewayo, a gig which will help cement the popularity of gig racing on St. Agnes and in Scilly for many years to come,” he said.

Charlestown Ladies B crew in training

This year there are more women's crews (132 in the open category) than men's (129).

Vicky Bird is the cox of Charlestown Ladies B Crew, and has been involved in the sport since the age of 11.

She told BBC Radio Cornwall: "I'm not a 'lone-sports person' type. I find it easier to motivate myself when I'm doing it as part of a team.

"It's just the whole community of gig rowing, I've got friends all over the county and out of the county now."

What is gig rowing?

• Pilot gigs are wooden six-oared craft used for recreational and competitive rowing events

• From the 1700s gigs were used to carry pilots out to visiting ships

• The tradition of racing was born because the first gig to get its pilot out to the ship got the job

• All modern gigs are built to the measurements of one gig - “Treffry” - which was built by Peters of St. Mawes in 1838

Town Beach on St Mary's is the centre of attention all weekend

Historically it's been crews from the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall that have won the top prizes, but Devon crews will be well represented this weekend.

Charlotte Bowyer is chair of the Tamar and Tavy Gig Club, founded in 2003, she told BBC Radio Cornwall: "When you get to Scilly, just seeing those boats on the beaches, and everybody milling around, it's just a fantastic atmosphere."

Pilot Gigs are 32 ft (9.7m) long and carry six rowers and a cox

Organisers will be hoping for better weather than last year, when thick fog on the eve of the Championships meant many rowers were unable to fly in.

An extra sailing of the Scillonian III ferry had to be organised to get competitors and spectators to Scilly in time.

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