Weymouth Rowing Club recently joined Lyme Regis and other Dorset and East Devon gig rowing clubs to attend the first Bermudian gig rowing regatta.
Thirty members of the Jurassic coast Gig Clubs formed “Team Jurassic”.
They entered four crews to race against the Bermudians and visitors from Cornwall, Devon, USA and the Netherlands. A series of regattas were held at three locations on the Island. Two customary kite shaped courses at Mangrove Bay and the Spanish Point, with a final 1000 meter sprint regatta held in the sheltered waters of St Georges. Team Jurassic were overall winners on points.
The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Team were approached and kindly agreed that Team Jurassic could use the World Heritage Site (WHS) logo on their kit, provided an “exchange of gifts” were to take place.
The historic town of St George was designated as a cultural WHS in 2000, and is the oldest surviving English town in the New World. The site is managed by the St George’s Foundation, who were very happy to arrange a ceremonial exchange of gifts to promote the World Heritage Sites and collaboration between Dorset and Bermuda, building on twinning links between St George’s and Lyme Regis.
This exchange took place on Tuesday 25 October at an organised cultural evening and BBQ at the Carter House Museum, St David’s – one of the oldest vernacular farmhouses in Bermuda.
Karyn Punchardfrom WeymouthRowing Club, said:
“This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only promote our beautiful Jurassic Coast in Dorset and East Devon, but to also meet with like-minded people over 3,000 miles away and come together over a shared pride in where we’re from and what we enjoy.
I am sure that gig rowers in Dorset and East Devon will continue to spread the word about our stunning coastline and love of gig rowing.”
