Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club narrowly missed out on retaining the Tudor Relic Trophy by just 1 minute during a gruelling 10-mile race in Langstone Harbour last weekend.
The Island club entered 2 boats into the Tudor Challenge on 15th August, with crews battling temperatures of up to 28C and increasingly calm conditions.
The annual fixed-seat rowing competition was launched by Tudor Sailing Club in 2022, following the formation of its rowing section in 2016, and has since become a regular fixture on the regional rowing calendar.
For the first time, Yarmouth entered 2 boats, with Sea Spirit attempting to defend the Tudor Relic Trophy won by the club last year.
The second boat, Spirit, featured a mixed crew who had not trained together before the event.
Conditions became increasingly challenging as the approximately 10-mile race progressed, with temperatures rising and the wind dropping almost completely.
Although the falling wind flattened the water, crews found progress increasingly difficult in the hot and still conditions.
Sea Spirit spent much of the race locked in a close battle with Irene of Lewes Gig Rowing Club, one of Yarmouth’s main rivals throughout the season.
The 2 crews maintained the pressure throughout the course, but it was Lewes who eventually prevailed, with Sea Spirit finishing just 1 minute behind.
Despite missing out on the trophy, Yarmouth’s crew completed the course more than 10 minutes faster than their winning time in 2025.
Meanwhile, the crew aboard Spirit produced a determined performance despite having never trained together, completing the challenging course and giving Yarmouth a second strong showing.
Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club chairman Keith Campbell, who coxed Sea Spirit, said:
“This was a really good day for Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club, to send 2 boats shows just how vibrant our club is right now.
“There is no question that the conditions were exceptionally challenging and so for Sea Spirit to miss out on the Trophy this year by 1 minute to a very good crew from Lewes is still some achievement.
“As a small club from the Isle of Wight we have constantly shown very well in all the races we have entered this season, which is testament to both the crews and the coaches.”
