This event is held on the River Thames in Richmond which is home to London Cornish Gig
Rowing Club. They have a fantastic quirky little club house right on the river, set back in the
Arches of Richmond Bridge. This year London Cornish provided boats for all the clubs, so you just turn up on the day and you’re ready to row.
The races were made up of two rounds, each round having four heats. The races are around 2.2km from Richmond bridge, around Glover’s Island and then back to the bridge to cross the finish line, with the boats setting off at 2 minute intervals. The fastest three crews from the two rounds compete in the final race. The crews are usually mixed crews with at least two female crew members, with some clubs entering multiple crews. Affinity Rowing Club entered one crew and I believe we were the only non-mixed crew that entered.
Our crew for the day was Barbara, Ruth, Chris, Jane, Tina, myself (Heather) and Austin coxing. We were a scratch crew having never rowed together before the event and it was Barbara and Ruth’s first ever experience racing in a Cornish pilot gig. We all had a fantastic day and we were really pleased with what we achieved, we worked really hard and our efforts paid off, we didn’t come last in either of our heats. Austin was a great cox providing clear instructions and direction, expertly steering us around Glover’s Island and keeping us motivated all the way to the finish. This section of the river is tidal and also between two locks so it can be quite fast flowing with the current changing direction, so there were plenty of challenges for Austin to navigate. I’m pretty sure in the second race we were all relieved, after speeding down on the current to Glover’s Island, we rowed around the Island to race back up to the finish line against the current and we kept moving forwards!
I asked Ruth if she would like to share a summary of her day and this is what she had to say:
‘I’m very familiar with racing on the Thames in ‘classic’ rowing boats, but this was my first race in a gig. The familiarity of the Thames combined with the warm welcome I received from my extremely competent and experienced crew, made for a perfect introduction to gig racing. The sun shone, we pushed hard, and the two races went by in a flash. I went home tired, with blisters on my hands, but with a smile on my face. Thanks to Austin and the ladies for making my first race one to remember. Feeling ready and excited for my next race. Bring it on!’ Barbara also said that she had a fabulous day.
Something I think we all really enjoyed about this event was the relaxed atmosphere. It was a
beautiful sunny day and we had plenty of time between the races to get to know each other,
chat to other rowers and enjoy watching the races, and eating really tasty brownies! We even
caught a glimpse of a massive seal catching a fish (we won’t mention the goose).
This is a great event for both rowers and spectators, old and new, whether this is your first ever experience racing or one to add to the ever growing list. Richmond is a beautiful vibrant area, with something for everyone. You could buy food and drinks in the club house and there were plenty of cafes nearby. Here’s some photos of the day:
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