COTEHELE Quay Gig Club's ladies' A crew continued their best ever start to the season with fifth place at the Weymouth Regatta.

The team had a tough start, narrowly avoiding clashing oars with the neighbouring boat in the race on Saturday.

Cox Joe Oddie said: 'The ladies did brilliantly. It was a difficult start but perseverance and fitness got them ahead. It felt strong all the way through.'

Squad leader Jade Farrington thanked Joe for coxing and Andy Bateman for towing the 32ft gig to Dorset.

She said: 'Congratulations to the whole crew. Everyone put in the effort and we were rewarded with a good position.

'The conditions were perfect and it was an excellent set-up for spectating where it was possible to watch the entire race.'

Ladies' A came 13th at the Three Rivers endurance race at Saltash in March, and were 34th out of 125 at the World Pilot Gig Championships 2013 on the Isles of Scilly earlier this month.

They will compete at the Rock Regatta on Sunday, June 2 along with other crews from the club.

Cotehele Quay Gig Club teamed up with Duchy College to give young Londoners the chance to experience the sport of gig rowing.

Students and staff from Phoenix High School, based in Shepherds Bush, visited the college for a residential week designed to challenge and excite the group – many of whom had never seen the countryside before.

Kelly Elvidge, who works at Duchy College and rows at Cotehele Quay, said: 'This is the second year we have run the exchange and it has proved very successful. They tried tractor driving, estate maintenance, animal husbandry, milking and sausage making, as well as enjoying trips to the beach and Dartmoor.

A couple of them had come with preconceived ideas and had decided they were not going to try; that was until they saw their friends enjoying themselves and they soon changed their minds.'

Gig captain Jerry Lawrence settled their nerves by demonstrating the stability of the boat. The students tested their owing skills before swapping rowers so all had the opportunity to experience a true Cornish sport and the beauty of the Cornish countryside.

Miss Elvidge said: 'Jerry gave all the students a geography lesson, explaining how great Cornwall is and how it is completely separate from England across the other side of the river.

'The students left happy and confused, wondering if they really did need their passports to get back into the England on their way home at the end of the week!

'Thank you to the members of Cotehele Quay Gig Club who came along for the evening to help create an unforgettably entertaining experience for the students.'