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The season has begun, heralded by The World Championships; the most spectacular gathering in the gig rowing calendar. Over one hundred gigs and more than 2000 rowers and spectators assemble on the tiny outcrop of Scilly for the biggest racing weekend of the year. Just thirty miles off the mainland, some say the echo of thole pins and the shout of coxswains reverberates all the way back to Lands End.

Now in its eighteenth year the Championships have grown considerably; in its first year just seventeen boats entered. The growth of the event means as much to the islands as it does to the sport. Cornwall is the home of gig rowing and Scilly has a long and distinguished rowing legacy reaching back to the late 18th century.

History
The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oared rowing boat, built of Cornish narrow leaf elm, 32 feet long with a beam of four feet ten inches.

It is recognised as one of the first shore based lifeboats that went to vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back as far as the late 17th century.

The original purpose of the Cornish pilot gig was as a general work boat, being used to take pilots out to incoming vessels off the Atlantic. In those days the race would be to get a pilot on board a vessel first - those that reached the ship first got the job, and hence the payment.

When a new gig was built it was tested against opposition boats to find out how fast it was. It was only a matter of time before these impromptu races were replaced with official fixtures, and so pilot gig racing was born.

Racing
There are now over fifty clubs throughout the West Country and the extent of the sport doesn't stop there. Pilot gig clubs have also been established in Holland, France, Faroe Islands and America.

Throughout the season crews compete in starred events, notching up results towards the Tribute Challenge Series. Current champions are Caradon Men and Falmouth Ladies, both titan crews in the league.

Throughout the summer gigs can be seen assembling on beaches around the Cornwall and Devon coast for the highly competitive and colourful spectacle of gig racing. The sound of oars clashing, coxswains shouting and rowers heaving their majestic craft through unpredictable seas gives this sport a powerful presence not easy to match.

Rowing
Requiring a good deal of stamina, the gig rower is often of strong stock. Wispy bird like creatures are of little use to the competitive crew. Muscular arms and burly backs are an advantage when manoevering the hefty oar through the waves.

With fixed wooden seats and a 'stretcher' upon which to brace your feet, there are no fancy aides to help technique. Arms locked, blade square to the water, the oar is drawn through the water by pushing back with the weight of the body. Catching a crab can often happen at this stage which is when the oar is dragged alarmingly below the water and the thole pins creak and the coxswain shouts "It's your round if you break that pin..."

That's the other thing about gig rowers - it's not just about winning - a pint of Tribute and a rousing round of Trelawney is all part of the pride rowers take in keeping the culture alive.

Chloe Wild
with photos by Gavin Saunders