Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club have completed a 21-mile endurance challenge on Loch Ness, finishing 4th in their class in the gruelling ‘Monster the Loch’ race.
The event took place on Saturday 6th September and saw 124 human-powered craft tackle the length of the legendary Scottish loch, from Fort Augustus in the south to Lochend in the north.
Yarmouth’s Cornish Pilot Gig, Sea Spirit, was towed 586 miles from the Isle of Wight — including the ferry crossing to Lymington — before being launched onto the Caledonian Canal and rowed an additional 53 miles through locks and waterways to reach the start line.
The Monster the Loch race is open to any human-powered craft and this year’s fleet ranged from solo paddleboards to dragon boats, Celtic longboats and 12 traditional Cornish gigs.
Sea Spirit made a fast start, surging ahead of several rival gigs and maintaining a strong position throughout the race. After 3 hours and 47 minutes of relentless rowing, they crossed the line 4th out of 12 in their class — just 13 minutes behind the winning gig — beating boats from Cotehele Quay, Lyme Regis and Eastney Cruising Association.
Overall, Yarmouth placed 83rd out of 124 finishers, with the fastest craft completing the course in 2 hours 31 minutes and the slowest — a solo paddleboarder — coming in at 6 hours 4 minutes.
The club described the challenge as a true test of endurance, stamina and spirit, and a fantastic achievement for their dedicated crew.
Gig rowing continues to grow in popularity on the Isle of Wight, with clubs now active at both Yarmouth in the west and Brading Haven in the east. All are welcome to try the sport, regardless of experience.
