ENGLAND’S football aren’t the only team to make it to the latter stages of an event recently — a tough young crew from Bude Pilot Gig Club rowed themselves into the semi-finals of the Under 14 County Gig Championships on Sunday, July 15.

The annual event, hosted by Hayle Pilot Gig Club along the quay of Copperhouse Pool in Hayle, was well attended by 31 competitive crews representing 20 gig clubs from Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

The Bude juniors, who started training together as a crew this year, did their club proud by winning their first three races with relative ease and coming a tight second in their semi-final. They missed out on racing in the final by just three seconds, and came fourth in the tournament overall.

Coach and cox, Donna Griffiths, said: “They were on fire”, before adding: “Blistered, hot and sore, they rowed like vikings and with sportsmanship. I’m so proud of them all.”

The course record for the day was set by Cadgwith A in a time of three minutes and 52 seconds in the heats, which was just 11 seconds faster than Bude’s best result of their four races.

The championship was won by Fowey A, with Cadgwith A and Lyme Regis in second and third places, respectively.

Bude results

Round One

1st: Bude; 2nd: Mevagissey; 3rd: Newquay B

Round Two

1st: Bude; 2nd: Rame; 3rd: Coverack

Quarter-final

1st: Bude; 2nd: Caradon A; 3rd: Mounts Bay A

Semi-final

1st: Cadgwith A; 2nd: Bude; 3rd: Pendeen A