More than 600 rowers to compete at Viking Longboat Championships
More than 600 people are preparing to compete at the 62nd annual Viking Longboat World Championships in the west of the Isle of Man.The contest will see 62 crews of 10 people row authentic longboats in a 1,312ft (400m) sprint in Peel Bay on Saturday.Championship secretary Jimmy Lee said it was a "very Manx" competition that took place in "one of the Manxest places you'll find".He said most teams "go out for a laugh in the race against the clock", which was "an all out five-minute row" for those in the boats.
Teams in the 2025 competition included one group called the Greeba Goats and another made up of members of the Manx Parliament of Tynwald.Meanwhile, the Whitehouse Odin's Vikings will celebrate their 50th anniversary of taking part, with two members from the original 1975 crew still involved and another who rowed in the first competition.
Every crew member in the event is required to row using an 11ft (3.3m) oar and each team must complete at least two practice runs in preparation for the event, which was first held in 1963.Mr Lee said the rehearsals were important because getting 10 people to row together for the first time was "like herding cats".The secretary, who is also set to compete, said: "It's one of those events that's gotten under people's skin on the island, and once you've done it you feel hard of stopping."The event will see the closure of sections of East Quay, Victoria Road, Crown Street and Shore Road by Peel harbour from 11:30 to 18:30 BST, but emergency access will be maintained at all times.
Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Barry Hills dead aged 88: Tributes paid to legendary racehorse trainer with more than 3,200 wins who started a dynasty
BARRY HILLS, one of Britain's greatest ever racehorse trainers, has died at the age of 88. Hills trained over 3,200 race winners over a career lasting more than 40 years. 1 Based out of in Lambourn, Berkshire, the horse racing icon racked up winners all over the world. Some of his most notable wins include the 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Rheingold and five British classics. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. . Like us on Facebook at @TheSunFootball.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Build-up as British and Irish Lions face Western Force in Perth
Update: Date: 10:14 BST Title: Sheehan leads from the front Content: Western Force v British and Irish Lions (11:00 BST) Stand-in Lions captain Dan Sheehan has challenged his Lions team-mates to match the passion of their hosts Western Force. "I'm sure the Force will be 150% of what they usually are," said the 26-year-old Ireland hooker," said Sheehan. "They will be flying into it and that bit of extra hunger can produce some powerful things. "They would have been eyeing this game up since they probably first stepped into that Western Force change room. It'll mean an awful lot to them. "But I don't want them to think that they're going to be hungrier than us. We have to demonstrate back our own mindset." Read more here. Update: Date: 10:11 BST Title: Line-ups Content: Western Force v British and Irish Lions (11:00 BST) Western Force: Donaldson, Grealy, Proctor, Stewart, Pietsch, Harford, White (capt); T Robertson, Paenga-Amosa, Hoskins, Carter, Swain, Harris, Champion de-Crespigny, Ekuasi. Replacements: Dolly, Pearce, Tauakipulu, Faifua, Prinsep, H Robertson, Burey, Kuenzie. British and Irish Lions: Daly, Hansen, Ringrose, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell, Williams; Schoeman, Sheehan, Furlong, Cummings, McCarthy, Beirne, Van der Flier, Pollock. Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Conan, Mitchell, Jones, M Smith. Update: Date: 10:08 BST Title: Team news Content: Western Force v British and Irish Lions (11:00 BST) With Lions captain Maro Itoje being rested, stand-in skipper Dan Sheehan leads the tourists on Saturday. The Ireland hooker is one of five players in the starting line-up who will make their Lions debut in Perth, his Leinster team-mates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier being the others. Four more Lions are set to make their debut off the bench - lock Ollie Chessum, centre Huw Jones, and props Andrew Porter and Will Stuart. Northampton tyro Henry Pollock will make his first start at number eight having come off the bench in the defeat by Argentina in Dublin last Friday. Update: Date: 10:04 BST Title: One down, nine to go... Content: Western Force v British and Irish Lions (11:00 BST) The Lions have already played a match this summer, albeit on home soil in Dublin. Andy Farrell's side lost their opening game of a campaign for the first time since 1971 with defeat by Argentina. How will they respond in their first game on Australian soil today? Update: Date: 10:00 BST Title: This is your Everest, boys Content: Western Force v British and Irish Lions (11:00 BST) The British and Irish Lions have a long and vibrant history. The story of the Lions began over a century ago in 1888 when they first toured Australia and New Zealand. Thirty-eight tours and 137 years later, the best of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales return Down Under to write the next chapter of Lions folklore. In tribute to Scotland and Lions legend Jim Telfer, the climb to the top of Everest for the Class of 2025 starts now...
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Legendary trainer Hills dies aged 88
Legendary racehorse trainer Barry Hills has died aged Lambourn-based trainer enjoyed more than 3,200 wins during a career lasting over 40 a career as a jockey and head lad, he began training in 1969 and won 10 British and Irish Classics, including the 2,000 Guineas with Tap On Wood in 1979 and the 1,000 Guineas with Ghanaati 30 years racked up victories across the world, including the 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Rheingold, and broke records with Nagwa and Further Flight. Nagwa scored 13 wins as a juvenile and Further Flight landed five Jockey Club overcame serious illnesses and throat cancer to carry on retired in 2011 and handed over to his son Charlie, but came out of retirement for a period after the death of his son Michael and Richard were both successful jockeys.
