CORNISH PILOT GIG ASSOCIATION:
We are delighted to announce a new event for the 2024 season for junior members of the gig rowing community on Saturday 12th October. Held at the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre in the UK’s first National Marine Park, the Junior International Pilot Gig Championships (JIPGC) will allow young people to compete for a variety of medals.
Headline Sponsor Plymouth City Bus, Managing Director, Richard Stevens said
“We are really pleased to be supporting this inaugural international rowing event. It is exciting that competitors from gig rowing communities across the country and beyond will be drawn to Plymouth. Our city is an ideal venue for watersports and we look forward to seeing young people on the water creating a wonderful spectacle for their families and supporters on the shore.”
Gig rowing is a fast growing sport that has been expanding rapidly beyond Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, stretching into the East of England, Wales and overseas, including the Netherlands, United States and Bermuda.
This new JIPGC event has been developed as part of the Wave of Events project which aims to deliver more gig rowing events, including competition opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy as participants and spectators.
Events Lead Dylan Jane explained:
“Following the sport wide consultation launched in December 2023, junior specific events have been identified as a key priority. We hope that with the development of a new major championship, clubs will be better able to recruit and retain juniors throughout the year and give more young people the opportunity to take part in the sport.”
The event will begin with a seeding race containing all boats and categories. Boats will be placed into heats based on their finishing position and race a further two times to determine their overall position. The event itinerary will be published in due course
Medals will be awarded for the winners of the following categories, as per CPGA 2024 Racing Rules:
- U14 Open
- U14 Girls
- U14 Mixed
- U14 Free
- U16 Open
- U16 Girls
- U16 Mixed
- U16 Free
Heat winners will also be awarded recognition and there will be a social gathering in the evening to bring the young competitors together to celebrate their achievements.
Alison Stedeford, Junior Coach, St Mary’s Gig Club, Isles of Scilly said:
“It’s going to be fantastic to have another opportunity to race on the mainland, giving Scillonian children the motivation to keep training through the summer and have something to aim for at the end of the season.”
More information about the Junior International Pilot Gig Championships will be published via the Events Directory of the CPGA website shortly at https://www.cpga.co.uk/