THERE was keen competition in the recent Third Eddystone Challenge ? a gruelling 40 kilometre sea row from Plymouth around the Eddystone Lighthouse and back to the Mount Batten Watersports Centre.
A Dartmouth gig crew beat specialist river racers from Plymouth as well as a selection of other rowers, kayakers and even an Atlantic ocean rowing racer, to be crowned as the fastest ever crew in this annual race.
Aided by exceptionally good weather, their time of 4 hours 26 minutes beat the previous record, set by Plymouth-based Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club, by an incredible 29 minutes, and is expected to stand for many years.
The seven man gig crew were followed back by a two man kayak and then Plymouth Amateur Rowing Club, who row lightweight river racers.
The Mayflower crew finished less than a minute behind their local rivals, having been overtaken within the last two hundred metres by Plymouth?s sprint finish.
Although sad to lose their record, the Mayflower crew were delighted to have competed at all as they lost two crew members to sickness within the last week before the race.
The stand-in crew were not able to practice together even once, and one had only ever sat in a rowing boat three times before the race.
The other three Mayflower rowers were Tavistock-based Tony Lovering and Jeff Hammond and Yelverton-based John Boston.
To find out more about Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club contact Tony Lovering on 01822 614186 or 077399 17040.