After an amasingly successful year of rowing, Falmouth Pilot Gig Club brought their season to a close by racing in Holland.

The club towed two gigs to the Royal Netherlands Yacht Club to take part in the annual event Muiden Pampus Muiden.

The two-day event consisted of three, four mile races around the island Pampus, two on the Saturday and one on the Sunday.

Conditions were excellent on Saturday as the ladies crew took to the water and with approximately 150 crews rowing a combination of whalers, sloops and gigs and a very narrow start line, the race was timed and boats sent off in threes with the fastest boats leaving last.

Falmouth Gig Club’s ladies crew consisted of four ex-World Champions, one current World Champion and an ex-CRA County Champion. Despite just two training sessions together prior to the event, the crew rowed up through the fleet in each of their races and came in an overall position of second to the Dutch crew, who are currently 2nd in the world.

Falmouth entered two crews in the men's race; rowing the Idas was a composite crew of two squad rowers, two super-vets and two flushing and Mylor rowers.

It was all to play for going into the final race as they were only three seconds behind the Morlader crew lying in second place. Starting alongside their main rivals the crew had an excellent start, an epic race which was fought until the end. The Idas crew finished in a final position of third.

Falmouth's World Championship winning men's crew also competed in Black Rock. With perfect rowing conditions on the Saturday afternoon the crew aimed to beat the course record.

The crew exploded off the start and rowed a strong race the whole way around the course.

Afterwards the crew all agreed the race was so tough because they were racing the clock, an invisible competitor, so there was no let up. The crew pushed right to the end of the race, increasing the rate the closer they got to the finish.

Falmouth men's A crew's efforts were worth it as they won the event as well as setting a new course record of 34.5334 minutes, half a second quicker than the previous record set by Caradon in 2002.

Falmouth Gig Club thanked the event organisers for their warm welcome, the club's sponsors for all their support, as well as Paul and Debbie Smith, Mark Smith and Nick and Debbie Maxted for organising the trip.

Falmouth Gig Club is an extremely competitive club and would appreciate any further support from local business’ in the form of sponsorship.

Keep up-to-date with the club @ www.falmouthgigclub.co.uk or become a fan on Facebook.

Falmouth Gig Club always welcomes new rowers; the club is currently running student rowing sessions from 12pm on Saturdays and novice rowing from 12pm on Sundays.

For further information please contact club captain Adam Anderson on 07743 862224.