Experience the drama and excitement of the 2025 Pilot Gig Rowing County Championship held in Newquay, Cornwall.
From the roar of the crowd to the power of the rowers, this event is a celebration of Cornish maritime heritage. Falmouth A crew, row to win! In the Gig Rowing County Championship, Newquay, Cornwall, 26th to 27th September 2025.
The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oar rowing boat. It is recognised as one of the first shore-based lifeboats to respond to vessels in distress, with the earliest recorded rescues dating back to the late 17th century. The original purpose of the Cornish pilot gig was as a general work boat, and the craft was used as a pilot boat, taking pilots out to incoming vessels off the Atlantic Coast. At the time, pilots would compete with each other for work; the gig crew that got their pilot on board a vessel first would get the job, and hence the payment.
Wherever more than one gig was heading out to any speculative job, they were racing for the work, as it was customary for the ship's captain to employ the first to arrive. This could involve various subterfuges to overcome the competition. A night-time departure may involve a gig crew setting off down the street to their boat in their stockinged feet so as not to wake another crew. St Mawes gigs would position themselves in a cove from which they could see Falmouth gigs departing – this gave them a head start if the Falmouth boat was heading for a desirable-looking target.

Today, pilot gigs are used primarily for sport, with around 100 clubs across the globe. The main concentration is within Cornwall, Devon, and the Isles of Scilly; however, clubs exist in Suffolk, Sussex, Somerset, Hampshire, Dorset, Wales, and London. Internationally, there are pilot gig clubs in France, the Netherlands, the Faroe Islands, Australia, Bermuda, and the United States.
Congratulations to Men's Newquay County Champions 2025 - Falmouth A 

The final results: 2025 Pilot Gig
1st - Falmouth A
2nd - Charlestown A
3rd - Cadgwith A
4th - Caradon A
5th - Falmouth B
6th - Coverack A