DART Under 14 Gig squad were seemingly inspired by the Solstice as they put the pedal to the metal and claimed victory in the Junior Championships held in Hayle on Sunday 23.

They fronted up against the cream of the sport on their opponent’s home territory and out-rowed them!

The format of the event was designed for fairness as clubs took potluck on choice of boats and the benign conditions on the Copperhouse Pool, a stretch of sheltered water, took away the adverse effect of tide or wind.

Racing in Cornwall is always harder than in Devon but the crew appeared unfazed, styling the heats and striding into the composite final.

Being allotted the gig Pegasus named for the winged horse of victory seemed a strong portent as they then surged around the course in four minutes to beat their great rivals Brixham, aboard Tamarisk, by 12 full seconds. Altogether, an inspiring effort and an inspiration for the wider club too.

Forty miles to the east on the day before, the seniors had crossed the Tamar with some trepidation but were also seeking victory at Mevagissey in the second of the CPGA Senior Summer Series. Here, they encountered the same clubs as those that the juniors went on to vanquish, but found the going tougher. Conditions on the south coast were somewhat spicier with choppy sea conditions, though the straight-line racing made sure that the results were fair once again.

The women rowing Volante, back in service after a fortnight’s rest, strove effectively through the initial points race coming in twenty-third and ending up between Elowen and Torrent. The men completed the same race achieving a creditable twenty-fifth place between Arveth and Morgan, two legendary craft and therefore a sign of the intensity of the competition.

In the following heats, the ladies' crew found themselves racing Gig royalty, alongside them on the start were, among others Morah, Rogue and Isolde, stirring company indeed. However, Volante triumphed and won the heat- completing the regatta with 80 points. The men in turn enjoyed a tussle with Tamarisk Torrent and Energetic to finish with 76 points, a very fair performance by both against the best in the county.

Earlier in the week, demonstrating that it isn’t all about hurly burly racing, the club rose at 3am and rowed two gigs out past the Mewstone to watch the Solstice sunrise a truly spectacular sight, as can be seen in the adjacent photo.

In the other picture is the victorious under-14 squad, smiling from ear-to-ear after their impressive feat.