Written by a valued club member
On Saturday 1st October 2022 four Cornish gig clubs competed in the second edition of the Head of the Ouse — a challenging seven mile river race between Newhaven and Lewes. The event is open to all types of fixed seat rowing boats, and this year two Bursledon gigs, a triple skiff and a cutter completed the field alongside four Cornish gigs representing Langstone, Newhaven, Lewes and Affinity.
The Head of the Ouse is in fact two races — a women’s race upriver on the last of the flood tide, and an open race back downriver as the tide begins to ebb. The boats are set off at intervals, with timed handicaps added to the course time. It takes place in the heart of the South Downs national park, with Mount Caburn, Itford Hill and Kingston ridge providing a stunning backdrop for the hard-fought competition on the water.
On Saturday the women’s crews battled a strong westerly the length of the river, while the open crews contended with a heavy downpour early on in the race as well as the stiff breeze. After handicaps the two Bursledon gigs from Hamble River Rowing — Kelpie and Rowsie — won one race each. The prize for the ‘swiftest gig’ across both races was won by ARC’s Grace O’Malley.
The event organisers, Affinity Rowing Club and Lewes Rowing Club, are already working on plans for the 2023 edition, and hope to be able to increase the maximum number of boats taking part next autumn. For more info and advance notice of registration dates email headoftheouse@gmail.com. You can also follow the event on Twitter @HeadoftheOuse
Thank you to Will Boden for this information and Martin Sinnock for the amazing photos
Thank you to Gig Rower and British Rowing for the coverage:
https://www.gigrower.co.uk/2022/10/05/cornish-gig-clubs-compete-in-the-head-of-the-ouse-in-sussex/
https://www.britishrowing.org/2022/10/fixed-seat-rowing-clubs-compete-in-sussex-to-be-head-of-the-ouse/
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