Jersey 'rewarded' for commitment to rowing with Offshore Championships

Jersey won the women's coxless four at the Offshore Championships last season, among three gold medals for the island

Jersey will host the British Rowing Offshore Championships this summer as a reward for commitment to the sport.

The event will take place on 1 and 2 June at a location still to be decided.

It is the biggest event of its kind on the Channel Islands since Guernsey hosted the World Coastal Rowing Championships in 2006.

Jersey Rowing Club won medals in five of the seven events last year, including three golds.

"Jersey have been a big supporter of the British Rowing Offshore Championships for many years," Sarah Gregory, chair of the organising committee, told BBC Radio Jersey.

"They've come across to Wales, Exmouth, Sandbanks, where we've had the Championships before.

"Really, we want to come to Jersey and show that actually we recognise that commitment.

"We're really excited to come because we've heard lots of good things about it and it gives us an opportunity to come and visit the beautiful island."

The Offshore Championships started in 2017 in Sandbanks, Dorset, and Jersey has attended every edition.

They won gold in the women's and mixed four and women's singles event last year.

"People mostly understand rowing from the Olympics and the Boat Race," Gregory added.

"Offshore is completely different - it's wild, you're on the sea, you have to contend with waves.

"There's an element of getting in and out of a boat, which you don't usually see.

"So it's a lot more exciting, a lot more accessible and we're really excited to actually be able to bring it to Jersey this year."