Burnham-On-Sea Gig Rowing Club has returned from the 2026 World Pilot Gig Championships on the Isles of Scilly after what members described as one of the toughest and most hard‑fought campaigns the club has experienced since first attending the event four years ago.
The club entered three crews into the world‑famous championships — Men’s Super Vets, Men’s Open Seniors, and Women’s Seniors — with racing taking place over three demanding days in front of large crowds and against some of the most established gig rowing clubs from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where the sport has deep generational roots. Crews also travelled from as far as the Netherlands and the USA.
For Burnham, a relatively young club founded in 2015, simply reaching the start line proved a challenge. Several rowers travelled carrying injuries picked up during months of training, while strong winds in the days before the event caused major disruption to Scillonian ferry crossings, including cancellations and delays. Despite the travel chaos, all Burnham rowers and coxes made it to the islands just in time for racing to begin.
The Men’s Super Vets crew was coxed by Jacob Baker, the Men’s Open by Julie Baker, and the Women’s Senior crew by Stuart Anderson. Several of the male rowers competed in both the Super Vets and Open Senior categories, meaning two races a day for three consecutive days — a huge physical test even before factoring in the travel, weather and intensity of the competition.
Once racing got underway, crews faced a stern test of stamina and determination across the notorious St Agnes seeding races and the fiercely contested Nut Rock heats, with boats battling for every inch of water and refusing to give up positions easily.
Despite competing against clubs with decades of gig rowing heritage, Burnham’s crews showed steady improvement throughout the championships. The Men’s Super Vets climbed from 34th in the St Agnes seeding race to finish 31st overall, a hard‑earned rise in an extremely competitive field. The Men’s Open also made strong progress, improving from 119th in the seeding race to 113th overall after consistently battling through tightly fought heats. The Women’s Senior crew finished 130th in the St Agnes race, climbed as high as 124th during the heats, and ultimately placed 126th overall, reflecting just how close and competitive the racing became across the weekend.
Race commentators also praised the women’s crew for their rowing technique — feedback that meant a great deal to the team after months of preparation. Both the Women’s Senior and Men’s Open crews were competing with an average age noticeably higher than many of the crews around them, making their performances and endurance all the more impressive.
Members said the atmosphere throughout the championships was electric yet friendly, with fierce competition on the water followed by strong camaraderie ashore between clubs from across the country. Fortunately, the high winds eased after arrival and the forecast rain largely held off, allowing racing to continue in far better conditions than expected.
Club members say the 2026 championships produced Burnham’s strongest overall set of results since first attending the event.
A club spokesperson said the crews were “incredibly proud” of their achievements, adding that the Nut Rock heats were “unbelievably competitive” and that every place had to be fought for. They said the progress made by all three crews, combined with positive comments about their rowing, made the months of training and travel worthwhile.
The spokesperson added: “Our club may be small, but it has a huge heart.”
Burnham-On-Sea Gig Rowing Club is now encouraging new members to get involved, with the possibility of competing at next year’s championships. Those interested can contact the club at hello@bosgigs.co.uk.
