A Cornish team of gig rowers who took on the mighty Cambridge University Boat Club in the first Doom Bar Challenge, walked away with full honours after victory by its A team The race, which was organised by Rock based Sharp's Brewery and hopes to be an annual event staged on the Thames or in Cornwall from 2008, consisted of a number of heats for both A and B crews, racing the Long Reach stretch of the River Cam.
Travelling up from The Duchy on Thursday, team coaches Edward Fishlock and Martin Langdon spent a couple of days with the Cambridge crew demonstrating basic techniques for Sunday's race.
Edward Fishlock said: "The Doom Bar Challenge was a fantastic experience for the all the Cornish teams who took part and it was a privilege to be involved in this augural event.
"The Cambridge crews picked up the gig skills pretty quickly and gave us a competitive race, with its B team eventually beating our B team, although only by a couple of centimetres. The race has certainly set a great standard for next year."
Although new to most of the Cambridge crews, the introduction to Cornish Gig racing heralds a return to the original style of boats used in the varsity race s, reflecting the fact both Cambridge and Oxford University used to sponsor lifeboat stations in Cornwall and Devon.
Duncan Holland, chief coach, Cambridge University Boat Club said: "The gig race provided an excellent addition to our early season training and something new to really test our skills, strength and stamina.
Taking gig racing up to Cambridge University Boat Club was the original idea of Sharp's Brewery director Joe Keohane.
Joe Keohane director of Sharp's Brewery said, "Seeing the Cornish and Cambridge crews completing on the River Cam was a great sight and setting the standard for, what will be, an annual event."
"This time the Cornwall took the Doom Bar Challenge home but who knows what will happen next year, as gig racing hopefully becomes more popular at Cambridge University."
The Cornish team is Edward Fishlock, Martin Langdon, Dan Bosley, Tony Such, Dan Wilkins and Aaron Wilkins.
James and Aaron are both members of Falmouth.
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