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 Gig
Rowers On
Tour
2006 - Muiden-Pampas-Muiden -
Holland
Zennor Gig Club (Penzance) members joined up with
rowers from Charlestown Rowing Club to participate in the Muiden-Pampus-Muiden
2006 in Holland at the beginning of November.
Three races of 7km were completed, two on the Saturday and one on the
Sunday. Both the ladies crew and the
men’s crew contained rowers from both Clubs. Whilst towing Senara from Penzance to Harwich,
unscheduled stops arose due to a trailer tyre blow-out! However, we made it to
the ferry terminal in ample time on the Wednesday night and, once on board, the
wine and beer flowed whilst playing the inevitable game of ‘Blob’! (a card
game.)
After a comparatively short drive through Holland
on Thursday morning, we reached our destination of Muiden and found the 100 year
old barge, the Nova Cura, which was
to be our accommodation for the next five days.
Although not the most soundproof of boats what with banging doors,
creaking floors and hand-pumped toilets, (not to mention saucepan lids and
bunk-bed fall-outs!) we grew to like her and enjoyed great hospitality from her
owner, Erik.
Friday was spent negotiating various bus stops
and metro systems in an attempt to get to Amsterdam for a sight-seeing trip (and
oh boy, did we see some sights!!!) Due to heavy rain, shelter had to be taken in
various Dutch establishments! Saturday and Sunday saw the sun shining although
it was quite chilly at times, especially whilst on the water. We raced with other Cornish gigs, Dutch gigs,
and various other types of rowing boats over the weekend. Most evenings were spent in the Floris or the
Mol, but Saturday night was party night – an excellent live band played during
the evening amidst the superb atmosphere enjoyed by rowers from several
different countries. Zennor was well
represented in the dancing stakes, both on stage and off!
On Monday, members packed up Senara and enjoyed a
leisurely morning in Muiden before leaving about 1pm to begin our journey home.
After some hard driving through thick fog nearly all the way from Harwich to
Penzance, we arrived home about 4am Tuesday morning - a long journey at the end
of which everyone was shattered.
However, it was a thoroughly enjoyable trip and one which will no doubt
be repeated in future years. |
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2006 - Sennen to Scillies
Zennor Gig Club and Devoran Gig
Club
Row from Sennen to The Isles of Scilly –
4th
August
2006
Two local gig clubs met early on Friday
4th August 2006 row from Sennen to the Isles of Scilly. 7 members of Zennor Gig Club (Penzance)
rowing in ‘Senara’ and 8 members of
Devoran Gig Club in ‘Falcon’
undertook the 28 mile challenge. Taking
part from ZGC were rowers Steve Gardner, Paul Harris, Jennie Richards, Guy
Litchfield, Richard Cornish and Fiona Hewett together with their coxswain for
the day James Morris-Marsham.
The trip looked unlikely to go ahead the day
before due to the windy conditions but fortunately on Friday morning the sun
shone and conditions were favourable for the rowers to set off on their
journey.
  
During the trip, the gig rowers encountered
sunfish, seals, and even a whale. Much
banter ensued throughout the trip between the two crews with cherries and
jelly-babies being thrown between the two gigs – the local fish ate well that
day!
Despite agreeing not to race during any part of
the course, the competitive spirit of both crews emerged when nearing the finish
line of Hats Buoy, a marker buoy at the entrance to the Islands. However, both clubs agreed to declare the
race a tie after crossing the line in a very respectable time of 6 hours 11
minutes. After continuing to row into St
Mary’s Harbour, both Senara and Falcon were secured on the beach whilst
the triumphant rowers celebrated their successful arrival with champagne and
port!
Both Zennor and Devoran Gig Clubs would like to
thank Dennis Hagen and Micky Casley who provided a safety support boat, the ‘Kirsty D’. Thanks also go to Pete Tonkin and members of
Cape Cornwall Gig Club who provided invaluable advice and support, and to Ray
and Irene of ‘The Mermaid Inn’ on St
Mary’s for their generous hospitality and provision of accommodation for the
rowers.
The gig rowers returned to the mainland on
Saturday, not under their own power but on the Scillonian – far less
energetic! The trip was rounded off with
a visit to the Meadery to celebrate the success of a very memorable rowing
excursion.
2005 - The Vogalonga in Venice
(Italy) and
Down The Danube To Passau
(Bavaria)
In 2005, members from both Clubs met up again to
take part in the Vogalonga Procession in Venice, an event that attracts
thousands of river crafts of all descriptions from all over the world. Zennor
Gig Club (Penzance) became the first ever club to row a Cornish pilot gig in
this race, and we received tremendous support throughout the race from Cornish
onlookers as well as afterwards via editorials published in various magazines.
The sight of Senara moored up immediately outside the Rialto Hotel
amidst Venetian Gondolas is something that will never be forgotten!
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After the Vogalonga, we towed Senara out of
Italy and up to Bavaria where we launched her on the Danube at Ingolstadt and
began our week's rowing. Our stop-overs this time were at Kelheim, Regensburg,
Straubing and Deggendorf with our final destination being Passau. Another
memorable trip completed, and apparently our Bavarian friends are already making
plans for our next visit! There is no stopping Zennor Gig Club - a truly
international Gig Club by anyone's standards!
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2003 -
Penwith
During August 2003, ZGC was able to repay the
hospitality when members of Passauer Ruderverein Rowing Club visited Cornwall
and were due to take part in a gig racing event at Goran Haven but this was
unfortunately cancelled due to bad weather conditions. However, they and ZGC
members did row both gigs from Penzance to Mousehole (stopped for a beer or
two!) and then onto Lamorna before rowing back again. On another occasion, the
gigs rowed across to St Michael's Mount where cream teas were enjoyed. Other
events undertaken by the Bavarians were horse riding, treasure hunt, visits to
Lands End, St Ives, Falmouth, Trengwainton Gardens, and watching a production at
The Minack Theatre. |
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2002 - From Passau (Bavaria) Down
The Danube To Vienna (Austria)
2002 was to be the first of many years that Zennor
Gig Club (Penzance) travelled abroad when strong links were forged with
Passauer Ruderverein Rowing Club who are based in the town of Passau on the Germany
and Austria border. A suggested idea of 'go to Passau for a weekend and row in
a sliding seat regatta' resulted in 'lets take a gig + 16 Club members and after
rowing in the regatta, we'll carry on and row 200+ miles down the River Danube
to Vienna - we'll only be gone ten days or so'! And that is what we
did! |
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Passau Ruderverein Rowing Club |
Sliding Seat 8 |
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The regatta was held on the Saturday at Passauer
Ruderverein Rowing Club where members from both Clubs raced in both their own
and each other's boats, after which the combined times resulted in ZGC beating
our hosts by just 8/10ths of a second! |
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On Sunday, ZGC bid a reluctant farewell to our
hosts and began the journey of rowing to Vienna in the sweltering heat of
between 30 and 35 degrees. We camped in a farm orchard at Schlogen the first
night, and from there our campsites were at Linz, Grein, Melk, Tulln and Vienna,
with lunchtime stops at Aschach (nicknamed 'arse-ache' for obvious reasons),
Wallsee, Ybbs and Krems. There are stories to be remembered and told about each
of these places which will never be forgotten, and ZGC owes a tremendous debt of
gratitude to the rowing clubs at Passau, EKRV, Donau-Linz, Melk, Tulln, and
Piraten in Vienna, who looked after us wonderfully and allowed us to camp in
their grounds alongside the Danube.
The fine weather and perfect river conditions
enjoyed were in stark contrast to events that happened one week later (after our
return to Cornwall) when much of the area we visited and camped on was subjected
to some of the worst flooding that the River Danube has ever recorded. Our
hearts went out to all those who were affected by this terrible
event.
This trip helped to raise money for the Pirate
Trust and our fundraising efforts were boosted by the Austrian charity 'Club 41'
who donated to this cause very generously. During 2002, ZGC raised over £1,300
for the Pirate Trust and came equal first with Hayle Town Band in the Pirate FM
'Blow Your Own Trumpet' competition. | |
