Islands celebrate return of gig championships
The weekend’s World Pilot Gig Championships on the Isles of Scilly – back after a two year break – has been hailed as one of the best ever. Islander reports
SIMPLY the best” roared the onlookers to Tina Turner’s iconic song as, with no-one dissenting at the superlative, the mighty men of Looe mounted the victors’ podium to their hat-trick of World Pilot Gig Championship titles.
It was as if a two-year pandemic break in the annual Isles of Scilly ritual of – arguably – the Westcountry’s biggest maritime festival had never been.
St Mary’s took on a list as, suddenly shipped into the islands for the 31st staging of the Scilly-invented “World Gig Championships,” was what seemed like half of Cornwall, although general opinion set numbers down on previous years due to Covid...
Renewed, however, was a weekend of vigorous cutting-edge competition, friendly rivalries and – when all was done – a bibulous ‘apres’ sufficient to sink a battleship.
Looe’s men in Curragh’s Pride – after titles in ‘18 and ’19 – won in magnificent style in a rain-hit Sunday final from runners-up Truro’s Spurr with, in third place, Morah of Coverack.
The first two days of the championships had been largely blessed by sunshine and calm, oily seas, only for sod’s law to decree that the finals day should be subjected to the wet stuff.
Looe’s initial modest 7th place in the long St Agnes seeding race kept everyone guessing as to how much they had in reserve. That they had plenty of it and had been keeping their powder dry became patently obvious as they romped it in the final
on the way to a conclusive threetimer.
It was, perhaps, no surprise as, over the years, Looe have been the model of consistency having been runners-up no fewer than six times and once third- placed before taking their first title in 2018.
Scilly differs from other mainland regatta venues in that rowers can’t go home nightly. Thirty miles of water says so. They are, in effect, marooned among like-minded celebrants to reminisce, sing and talk gigs. That is why the islands, while annually finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the event’s evergrowing demands due to shortage of organisers will remain the venue of choice for most mainland crews and supporters who love to come over for the craic, some extending their rowing stay into a full week’s holiday.
Ladies clear winners were Fowey’s “Q” (the pseudonym of writer Quiller-Couch). She was well clear of Morgwar of Helford with, in third place, last year’s runners- up, Caradon’s Ann Glanville. Falmouth, 2019 titleholders, this time didn’t make the frame.
Just out of a top placing was Mount’s Bay’s Ictis while the same club’s Kensa came in 11th.
Police back-up came on the weekend “as cover for the night-time economy” as the local police coyly put it. Welcome flags decorated many a building vying with the civic support for embattled Ukraine a displayed atop the town hall flagpole. Roads were cordoned off. Warning signs posted.
Registered were 124 gigs, seen as a manageable and a reduction from 2019 when a gargantuan 170 arrived.. They included classicallyevocative name like Zeus, Circe, Pegasus, Galatea, Troy, Ictis and Isolde, a flotilla of Cornish names, and some unpronounceable ones to from the ever-loyal Dutch.
“Will you come back again next year?” World Championships chairman Kevin Sherris asked the watching crowd.
The answering roar said nothing would stop them ...
The awards presentation that brings down the Championships curtain has become established as a good-natured highlight in its own right and a fitting closure to a memorable weekend
On a rickety stage islands’ longtime servant of the Championships – and its chairman – Kevin Sherris – gave his 28th annual introductory speech, thanking those who helped and backed the event, notably the Steamship Company who shipped in over 120 gigs, and Dan Frost,regional manager of sponsors Sharps Brewery. Kevin then announced the winners, group-by- group.
To applause winning crews receive their baubles before launching into the strangest, uninhibited celebratory dance routines known to dervishes let alone mankind!
There was one (amusing) mix-up, the wrong medals being – or about to be – presented to a crew! “You just can’t get the staff these days” cracked Kevin. The assembled crowd got in the mood before crowding the pubs. For the event three years ago the ship bought in 25 tonnes of beer. The piles of barrels this time suggested faith in a continuing thirst even if numbers were slightly down.