DART Gig Club enjoyed a wonderful beach day on Sunday 16 June, as usual children played, dogs frolicked and sandy sandwiches were eaten. Most importantly though, as eight other gig clubs from the Southwest turned up too, boats were rowed.

Salcombe Regatta has relocated to Mill Bay across the Kingsbridge Estuary from the old location by the yacht club and this has given a delightful new twist to an always enjoyable event.

Conditions for racing were exquisite with a slight chop in a lively southerly breeze. Dart launched Lightning into the gin-clear crystal waters of the Ria at 10.30 for the kick-off race, the men's B.

Their premier craft Volante stayed at home after severe exertions the week before in Mount's Bay, alongside them on the crowded start line were boats representing the whole of the Devonian coast from Cattewater in the West to Teignmouth in the East.

Within this realm, Dart are probably considered the dominant outfit but on Sunday with ad hoc thrown-together crews as a result of many regular faces taking a day off for Father's Day, there was some trepidation as to whether the club could generate the old magic.

Within 60 seconds, however, Lightning had surged to a definitive lead and held it around the two-kilometre kite course to take the first win. Next up the A crew, again in a mash-up format, hoped to emulate their clubmates, however, Teignmouth aboard Templer repeated their form from the Scillies Championship and beat the Maroons to a respectable second place.

Dart restored hopes of winning the overall event with consequent victories in the men's veteran categories, leading to the Marquee clashes of the regatta: the two junior races, the under fourteens and the under sixteens.

Unlike most children's sports no special exemptions are made for these doughty competitors, they must row an adult-sized boat in the same challenging conditions as the grown-ups, a feat in itself.

The U14's battled rivals Yealm, Tamar/Tavy and the mighty Brixham on the surging Estuary and were rewarded with a Bronze medal. Their slightly older compadres took on Yealm in the next race and took a podium finish and a silver medal- the future of the club surely lies in safe hands.

To round off a golden day the women put in a solid performance, the veterans winning and the other crews keeping the scoreboard ticking over in an advantageous way for the Maroon machine, the climax being the mixed race which resulted in more victory and the overall regatta win.

Salcombe Gig Club hosted a magnificent event, much home cooking was sold and eaten, thanks to them for that and everything else, and for beautifully marshalling sometimes awkward racers.