DISPLAYING the kind of grit and determination that Isambard Kingdom himself would have admired, 12 gig crews battled through vile weather to compete for the Brunel Trophy in the inaugural Great Tamar Gig Race, hosted by Tamar and Tavy Gig Club. Racing from Cothele, the various men?s, women?s and mixed crews pushed through wind and rain to Brunel?s own Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash in a fine demonstration of the brute force and staying power required in gig racing. Gig clubs across the south west are sizing each other up in the month running up to the World Championships on the Isles of Scilly as the season begins with a couple of brutal long distance races, The Great Tamar Gig Race being the longest in the gig rowing calendar. Overall winners Caradon Men?s A crew completed the course in a blistering 68 minutes 05 seconds. Tamar and Tavy men came in sixth in the men?s class 77:31. Calstock men in their first official season as a racing gig club hurtled in just over a minute later at 78:51. Salcombe Ladies A crew won the women?s division in 82:49, with Tamar and Tavy Ladies second in 83:38. Mixed winners were Dartmouth in Lightening in 77:19. Thanks went to John Pearce of Tamar and Tavy Gig Club and his team for organising the event, the National Trust for providing a splendid start point and Caradon Rowing Club for their hospitality at the finish. For more information about the gig club and how to join http://www.tntgc.org">www.tntgc.org. l TAMAR and Tavy gig rowing club broke the ice, literally, for the first race of the season recently. The Three Rivers Race is a challenging five mile endurance event taking in the Tamar, Tavy and Lynher. The ladies team came in seventh with a time of 101 minutes and were delighted to be up with the serious A teams of the region. Carolyn Dawe took the stroke at a cracking pace, with Nicky Sellers, Sam Adlam, Chrissie Baker, Julie Williams and Helen Dickenson making up the rest of the crew with Jack Baker as cox. The men came in with a time of 57 minutes in 14th place. They had a very good start with Ed Hillson setting a good stroke rate with Ian Page, John Hillson, Tom, Dave Dawe and Steve Jackson following strongly with Bill Stacey-Norris as cox. The men vied for positions with Cattewater and Weymouth boats taking a strong line, racing neck and neck. At this point in the season gig crews are working hard preparing for the World Championships in the Isles of Scilly during May bank holiday.
