Falmouth has taken the win the ladies’ long race, putting them in pole position for the start of the sprint races.

The long race involves gigs rowing from St Agnes to the finish line at St Mary’s.

All 165 gigs are in the water together, with their finishing places helping rank them into groups for the sprint races that begin later this afternoon.

Flushing & Mylor was quick off the start line, rowing at 41.5 strokes per minute.

Coverack’s Morah also chose a fast pace to begin with, still managing 3.6 strokes per minute two minutes into the race.

Falmouth’s Arwenack crossed the finish line first, followed by Caradon in Ann Glanville and Mounts Bay in Kensa, with Dutch gig Zeeheld taking fourth spot.

Coverack in Morah also made the top 12, as did Flushing & Mylor in Zawn, Teign in Templar and Looe in Currah’s Pride and Caradon in Amazon, with Falmouth’s B crew in Black Rock taking the final spot in group one.

The men’s long race is due to get underway at around 2pm.

Round two of racing will see the first of the ladies’ sprints from Nut Rock begin at 3.15pm and the men’s race at 5pm.

Tomorrow, weather conditions allowing, the third round of racing will begin at 10am with the ladies’ race from Nut Rock, followed by the men’s at 11.45am, when gigs in the second group will be hoping to move up into the top 12 for a place in the finals that afternoon – and those already there will be battling to stay.

The ladies’ final gets underway at 1.30pm tomorrow, with the men’s at 3.30pm.