Events - 2025
Head of the Ouse 27th September
The annual Head of the Ouse takes place on the River Ouse in Sussex, with a challenging 10km race taking crews through the beautiful South Downs — from the busy port of Newhaven to the county town of Lewes and back. The event is open to all types of fixed seat rowing craft and features two races — an open race for men’s and mixed crews upriver on the last of the flood tide, and a women’s race back downriver as the tide begins to ebb.
So we set off last Saturday with two crews, and Sea Spirit, to take part in this Head as the last challenge of the season and to enjoy ourselves in this beautiful, river location.
The crews started at intervals and the men began strongly on their leg, rowing hard throughout and overtaking the boat that started ahead of them. They were held up a little on a narrow, bridge section but were able to pull away for a strong finish. The ladies then swapped with the men for the return leg and, with the wind against them plus a tide that was slow to turn, they too had very good row back to Newhaven.
Of six boats in the Cornish Pilot Gig (GRP) class the results were as follows:
Yarmouth men’s crew came second
Yarmouth ladies crew came third and
Overall the combined result for Sea Spirit was second - another splendid result for Yarmouth!
It was a great day, much enjoyed by all and what a great way to finish off our season. We have had a really successful racing season this year. As a club we’ve worked hard over the last few months and this race once again showed that we are one of the most successful traditional rowing clubs in the region.
Monster the Loch - 6th September
On Saturday 6th September, our intrepid team competed in “Monster the Loch” – a 21-mile race from one end of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands to the other!
Loch Ness is 22 miles long (36k), 1.7 miles (2.7k) wide at the widest point and over 260 metres deep. Fort Augustus, where the race started, is 586 miles from Yarmouth (including the ferry to Lymington). To get there, Sea Spirit was towed by road to the Caledonian Canal and then rowed 53 miles over several days and through numerous locks to reach the south side of Loch Ness, arriving with a day in hand to rest ahead of race day.
Monster the Loch is a challenging 21-mile race open to any humanly powered craft. This year the 124 boats on the starting line ranged from a single paddleboard through Dragon Boats to Celtic Long Boats and 12 Cornish Pilot Gigs.
Sea Spirit and her crew started this gruelling marathon with an early burst of speed, setting the pace and pulling away from many of the other gigs. The crew held their heads throughout the race and by the finish they were 4th of 12 in their class. They had successfully held off gigs from Cotehele Quay Gig Club, Lyme Regis and Eastney Cruising Association, with a finishing time of 3 hours 47 minutes, only 13 minutes behind the fastest. Rowing at your best for 3 hours 47 minutes calls for endurance, stamina, spirit and sheer determination to keep going.
118 out of 124 boats finished the course, with the fastest boat across the line in 2 hours 31 minutes and the slowest, being the paddleboard, in 6 hours 4 minutes. Sea Spirit finished 83rd overall in the rankings.
A wonderful achievement and a great experience, so well done to everyone: Andrew, Andy, Anita, Clive, Jill, Jo, Penny and Roger.
Summer Gig Regatta - Brading Haven 9th/10th August
What a fantastic weekend at Bembridge, organised by Brading Haven Gig Rowers!!
Sunshine, warmth, races and, on Sunday, for the first time, the wonderful sight of two cornish pilot gigs racing under full sail!
In the racing on Saturday, Yarmouth Ladies had a good start, immediately getting their nose out in front and once built, they maintained a clear lead to the finish. In the Mixed, Langstone led until the last third. For those watching opposite the finishing line, it was very exciting with much noise being made by supporters on the beach when Yarmouth made a determined and sustained push and just pipped Langstone in the final few metres - a photo finish!! Brading Haven Rowers were fantastic organisers and great hosts and continue to make huge strides in improving their rowing technique and speed - they'll soon be nipping at the heels of the more experienced and established crews ...
Race results:
Ladies
1st Yarmouth (Spirit)
2nd Langstone (Seahorse)
3rd Brading (Nerthek)
Mixed
1st Yarmouth
2nd Langstone
3rd Brading
On Sunday, we rigged our traditional wooden pilot gig ‘Spirit’ and sailed in the waters along the coast of Bembridge alongside Brading Haven Gig Rowers who sailed their gig, ‘Seahorse’. This was a historical first for the Isle of Wight as there have never been pilot gigs sailed on the Island and for both clubs the first time these boats have been rigged with their original masts and sails.
Sam Hotchin, YGC cox says “It’s the first time we have had the opportunity to rig our traditional, wooden, pilot gig ‘ Spirit’ which we bought in 2023 and she is now 30 years old. It was a fantastic experience for the whole crew and wonderful to see our gig and Brading Haven’s sailing along the Bembridge coastline”.
Tudor Challenge - 9th August
Once again, a resoundingly successful row for our men's crew! ‘The Tudor Challenge,’ established in 2022, has proved to be a resounding success and has now become a highlight in the annual rowing calendar of the Solent.
The event is for fixed seat rowing boats only and the course is approximately 10 miles long and takes place in Langstone Harbour.
A field of 25 boats of many different types and crews (some crews travelling from as far afield as Scotland and Spain) included our very own ‘Sea Spirit’.
The 10 mile winding trip around Langstone Harbour got under way in glorious sunny weather and ‘Sea Spirit’ was in the last group of staggered starts. The crew soon pulled away from the other Pilot Gigs and slowly overhauled the other crafts. By half way (near Hayling Island Bridge) the crew were beginning to suffer a little from the heat, however on the run home the South West wind began to gust to Force 5 which against the now ebbing tide began to produce some challenging conditions. At this point the crew really rose to the challenge and continued to relentlessly catch the remaining boats and by the finish had overtaken all but one of the complete fleet, some who had a 15 minute head start. When the final results were worked out taking into account the handicaps for the various classes Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club had achieved the following:
• Fastest Pilot Gig – First in Class
• Winner of the ‘Tudor Relic’ Trophy – awarded to the Fastest Men’s Vets Crew (all over 55) – the trophy is made from a timber from the Tudor Rose
• Second Place overall in a time of 1 hour 52 minutes
"A great day out and fantastic crew effort in conditions, especially in the second half, that although challenging are quite normal during our training rows in the Hurst Narrows out on the Solent. This continues a very successful run this season in races we have entered, which for a small club on the Isle of Wight is quite an achievement”
Chairman Keith.
Cockleshell Challenge - 19th July
Once in a while we just have one of those days. Just one of those fabulous days when everything goes perfectly (well nearly) from start to finish. We had one of those days on Saturday, taking part in the Cockleshells Challenge. A superbly well organised event hosted by Eastney Cruising Association at the mouth of Langstone Harbour. Many thanks to them.
In a phased start with different classes beginning at three-minute intervals, We started twenty-fourth out of twenty-eight entries. By the end of the eight-mile course we were fourth, having overhauled twenty boats. A tremendous performance.
The crew set off at an impressive twenty-seven strokes per minute (SPM) and after one and a half miles rowing along Southsea beach, had passed every other boat in our class bar one. After settling to a powerful twenty-four SPM and making the southern turn at the submarine barrier, we then proceeded to overhaul the remaining boat on the stretch to Horse Sand Fort.
For the remainder of the course and on the final leg back to Langstone Harbour, we continued to pick off crew after crew before storming to a strong finish in one hour and twenty seven minutes.
If stroke’s stretcher hadn’t come adrift in the last stages and the cox had not placed the finish line a little too soon, we would have been even faster!
And the result:
Fifth fastest overall (out of twenty-eight) and second overall on handicap (by seven seconds!)
First in class (out of seven GRP Cornish Gigs)
First crew in the open/men’s category (out of thirteen)
First super-vets (over fifty) crew (out of twelve)
So, really well done Andy (stroke), Nick, Fiona, Geoff, Terry and Clive with Bill coxing, and well done YGRC!
What a day!
Round Canvey Island - 12th July
An intrepid YGRC team converged on Canvey Island, Essex on Friday afternoon / Saturday morning for the Round Canvey Race.
This is a forteen and a half mile course setting off against a strong tide, and in this case against a reasonably strong wind as well, down Benfleet Creek to Hadleigh Ray and out into a choppy River Thames. After a turning mark, it then proceeds along the southern shore of Canvey Island on the edge of the shipping channel, before finally turning into Holehaven and East Haven Creek and back to the Benfleet Yacht Club, who organised and hosted this challenging 3-hour and 3 minute long adventure.
Suffice to say, the navigation and the conditions were tricky - we were a bit tired by the end of it!!
HUGE THANKS to Chairman Keith for all the research, preparation and expert coxing, to Andy for being a terrific stroke, his co-pilot Geoff at 5, and the rest of the salty crew, Fiona, Clive, Jo, Caroline and Paula (phew!!!).
Well done all - Great Coastal Rowing!
Bembridge Gig Fest - 14th/15th June
Well, what an absolutely fabulous weekend of sun soaked, and beach baked racing, involving six clubs from the island and mainland! On Saturday there were three races,mixed, ladies and open, over a two kilometre course and on Sunday the same three classes raced around St Helen's fort against the clock. Here are some of the comments made after the event:
“What a brilliant club - so many people doing so many things to make things like this weekend happen - wow what a great experience”
“What an AMAZING BGF yet again!! Loved it all. Fantastic results today. Well done all 😁. Thanks SO much to all who made it happen (perfect rowing conditions too 😊🚣♥).”
"What an enjoyable weekend the ECA (Eastney Cruising Association) gig section had at this year’s Bembridge Gig Fest! The surroundings were lovely, the hospitality was great and the organisation perfect. We enjoyed some great racing on both the Saturday and Sunday, and I’m pleased to say we came away with a few prizes! We look forward to returning next year.”
And on top of all that, Yarmouth won two of the three races on Sunday! Full results below. Well done everyone!!
Hamble River Raid - 17th May
Huge thanks and congratulations to the Hamble River Raid Committee for organising a fantastic event, as usual! A great turnout, a wonderful, happy atmosphere, and great fun in the sun (not to mention the fab hog roast!)
Yarmouth’s Spirit was the 4th Cornish Pilot Gig home, in a time of 42 mins 39, with just 4 seconds separating them from 3rd placed Taran from Lewes PGC. The winning Gig clocked in at 41:07. A great result for the team (we’ll be at least 5 seconds quicker next time …): Keith (cox), John (stroke), Nick, Geoff, Rosanne, Fiona and Andy W - well done to all!!
Three Harbours Event - March 8th
On a beautifully sunny Saturday the men's crew joined another one hundred and twenty keen rowers to take part in the first Three Harbours event of the 2025 season. Hosted by Itchenor Sailing Club, there were three races, ladies, men's and mixed, all rowing the same course from ISC out to East Head Spit and back to the club to finish. On a staggered start of twelve boats, Yarmouth soon found their stride and settled into a steady rhythm which they maintained throughout the row, battling a strong easterly on the return leg with some choppy water but finding nothing to phase this crew.
They completed the course in just four seconds short of an hour. This turned out to be the fastest time recorded by any cornish gig during the day and faster than the two other boats in the men's event. A splendid effort to start the season.
ISC were excellent hosts and made their bar, restaurant, lounges and facilities fully available to the visiting teams. So a celebratory drink, a good lunch and a lovely setting rounded off a perfect day for the crew (there was also the added attraction of some excellent rugby to watch in the club bar!). The satisfied team travelled home looking forward to a year of similarly enjoyable and successful events. Hats off to the Three Harbours organisers for a great start to the year.
