Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club delivered an exceptional performance at this year’s Cockleshell Challenge – a gruelling 9-mile open sea rowing race across the Solent that celebrates the legacy of the Cockleshell Heroes of WW2.
Organised annually by Eastney Cruising Association, the race starts and finishes at the association’s base near Portsmouth, looping around Horse Sands Fort. This year’s event attracted 28 entries, including 11 Cornish Pilot Gigs. Among them was Yarmouth’s ‘Sea Spirit’, representing the Isle of Wight.
The race used a phased start with different boat classes beginning in 3-minute intervals. Yarmouth’s crew started 24th but surged through the field to finish 4th on the water – overtaking 20 boats in a standout effort.
When final times were adjusted for class handicaps, Yarmouth achieved:
- 5th fastest overall (out of 28)
- 2nd overall on handicap – just 7 seconds off the lead
- 1st in class (out of 7 GRP Cornish Gigs)
- 1st in the open/men’s category (out of 13)
- 1st in the super-vets (over 50s) category (out of 12)
Bill Freshwater, Cox, has said:
“This was a very competitive field and so for us this was a tremendous effort from the entire crew today, it was one of those days when all the hard work we put in on training rows just came together.
“This is such a growing sport and it’s nice to see the Isle of Wight making its mark against some of the bigger clubs the other side of the Solent.”
