TAMAR and Tavy Gig Rowing Club turn out in their numbers on Saturday to the Saltash Town Regatta and Waterside Festival. This is an annual jointly organised festival offering a host of events running throughout the weekend. Tamar and Tavy is welcoming a lot of new rowers to the club and this festival offered the perfect opportunity to introduce their newcomers to the joys of gig racing! The mixed crew kicked off the day's rowing with Tamar and Tavy entering a team consisting of three new and three experienced rowers (Andy and Jane Morton, Jemma Sharman were new to the club with Tamar Howard-Pearce, Pete Sellers and Matthew Pinney representing the experienced rowers) — all ably coxed by Rae Bullough, the captain of the veterans' team. The team gave their all and though they couldn't rank with the fastest times they certainly made up for this in sheer determination and effort. The mixed races were followed by the ladies' veterans, which Tamar and Tavy ladies won last year making this a hard act to follow – exacerbated by some soupy water and strong competition. The club entered a team consisting of Carrie Lawson, Debbie Vojkovic, Loveday Fethney, Jo Cameron, Ruth Walker and Tricia Stewart with some motivational coxing from Carolyn Dawe. The team were not able to follow last year's club lead but gave a good account of themselves also coming in second and third in the 'plate' heats that followed. The Mixed Super Vets was the next event that the club entered. Again, coxed by Rae who chose to give some new and inexperienced rowers a taste of the exhilaration of rowing in a fun environment. The team was made up of Helen MacFarlane, John Rogers, Maggie Cartwright, Martin Painter, Peter Clarke and Lesley Coupland who has only recently joined the club and rowed with all the pull she could muster! Overall, not the strongest event for the club in terms of wins but a winner in terms of the club. Recruiting new members, training them whilst making them feel included and valued has been the clubs priority this year. However, recognition must also go to one of the club's older members, Maggie Cartwright, a 'super', super vet who spent most of her, long day, taking photos and supporting all with kind words and good advice. If anyone is interested in joining the Tamar and Tavy Gig Club look on its website tmtg.org.uk or call membership secretary Robert Dawe on 01822 840064, who will arrange a taster session.
