Latest news with #coastalrowing
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Coastal rowing races find their 'ideal location' in Stranraer
The south-west of Scotland has been hailed as the "ideal location" for coastal rowing after hosting a major from round the world were in Stranraer to race on Loch Ryan in the SkiffieWorlds which drew to a close on Ireland's Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club successfully defended their Berends, who chairs St Ayles Skiff International, said the "whole package" had come together at the Scottish event. The St Ayles skiff is a 22-foot (6.7m) fixed-seat rowing boat and is usually built by the community that rows championships take place every three years and were last held in Stranraer in 2019."As a blueprint for SkiffieWorlds I'd say Stranraer is the ideal location," said Mr Berends."It runs very smoothly, the volunteers and the community are tremendous, and it all comes together to create an event that is ideal."Even with the challenging weather at the start of the event, we were able to reschedule easily because of the scale of the water." Teams travelled from Australia, USA, Canada, South Africa and the Netherlands to compete with teams from across the UK and Cuffe, trustee of organisers Stranraer Water Sports Association (SWSA) said: "It's been amazing. I'm in absolute awe that these people have come from so far to fill our beach and to race on Loch Ryan."It's been absolutely fantastic." The SkiffieWorlds is part of wider efforts to promote the area as a water sports has started on a £6.7m hub in Stranraer, which it is hoped can open next next major event to be hosted by the SWSA will be the Scottish Fin and Foil Championships from 8 to 10 August.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
International rowers gather for SkiffieWorlds championship
The colourful boats at the SkiffieWorlds are generally community-built [Colin Hattersley] More than 2,000 rowers from around the globe are expected in south west Scotland for the SkiffieWorlds championship. The world championships for the St Ayles class coastal rowing boats is taking place on Loch Ryan, near Stranraer, from Sunday for seven days. Advertisement A record-breaking 79 clubs from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, the USA and Canada are set to make it the biggest ever gathering of the colourful community-built boats. Events begin with an opening ceremony before the competition and an on-shore festival get under way. The event was last held in Stranraer six years ago [Saskia Coulson] The SkiffieWorlds attracted about 30,000 visitors when they were previously held in Stranraer in 2019 and are estimated to have generated up to £4m for the local economy. But is is hoped the 2025 edition will surpass those figures. The event is the world championship for the St Ayles class of coastal rowing boat and takes place every three years. Advertisement The St Ayles skiff is a 22-foot (6.7m) fixed-seat rowing boat designed specifically for community building and coastal rowing. Each boat is typically built by the community that rows it. Wendi Cuffe, trustee of Stranraer Water Sports Association (SWSA), said: "SkiffieWorlds is a world championship rowing event, but it's about so much more than competition. "It's a celebration of community, connection, active participation and coastal heritage. "The shoreside festival programme reflects everything that makes this sport special, from the international friendships forged through shared love of the water to the wellbeing benefits that keep people coming back to rowing." Advertisement The championships will see more than 100 races across a number of age categories. Big screens will show live drone footage with commentary for spectators on the shore. Stranraer water sports hub The youngest competitor is 14, while the oldest is thought to be 81. Rebecca Edser, head of EventScotland, said it was delighted to support the event which could encourage economic growth and bring physical, mental and social benefits. The competition showcases wider efforts to boost Stranraer's transformation into a major water sports destination. Work started earlier this year on a water sports hub in the town and it is scheduled to open next summer.
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
International rowers descend on Stranraer for SkiffieWorlds
More than 2,000 rowers from around the globe are expected in south west Scotland for the SkiffieWorlds world championships for the St Ayles class coastal rowing boats is taking place on Loch Ryan, near Stranraer, from Sunday for seven days.A record-breaking 79 clubs from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, the USA and Canada are set to make it the biggest ever gathering of the colourful community-built begin with an opening ceremony before the competition and an on-shore festival get under way. The SkiffieWorlds attracted about 30,000 visitors when they were previously held in Stranraer in 2019 and are estimated to have generated up to £4m for the local is is hoped the 2025 edition will surpass those event is the world championship for the St Ayles class of coastal rowing boat and takes place every three St Ayles skiff is a 22-foot (6.7m) fixed-seat rowing boat designed specifically for community building and coastal rowing. Each boat is typically built by the community that rows it. Wendi Cuffe, trustee of Stranraer Water Sports Association (SWSA), said: "SkiffieWorlds is a world championship rowing event, but it's about so much more than competition."It's a celebration of community, connection, active participation and coastal heritage."The shoreside festival programme reflects everything that makes this sport special, from the international friendships forged through shared love of the water to the wellbeing benefits that keep people coming back to rowing."The championships will see more than 100 races across a number of age screens will show live drone footage with commentary for spectators on the shore. Stranraer water sports hub The youngest competitor is 14, while the oldest is thought to be Edser, head of EventScotland, said it was delighted to support the event which could encourage economic growth and bring physical, mental and social competition showcases wider efforts to boost Stranraer's transformation into a major water sports started earlier this year on a water sports hub in the town and it is scheduled to open next summer.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gourock rowers set to compete in the Skiffie World Championships
HARD-WORKING rowers from Gourock are getting ready for launch as they prepare to take on teams from around the world in an international championship. The Royal Gourock Yacht Club's coastal rowing team are travelling to Stranraer next weekend to compete in the week-long Skiffie World Championships. Advertisement Up to 20 members will be competing against 78 teams from all around the world, with rowers coming from as far as Australia and South Africa to the Scottish town. The Royal Gourock Yacht Club's coastal rowers (Image: Alex Craig) Competitors will take part in 2km out-and-back races on a multi-lane course on Loch Ryan in what is known as a St Ayles Class coastal rowing boat. Representing the club in each race will be four rowers, all led by a cox, who steers the boat. Three years ago, five RGYC rowers travelled to the Netherlands to take part in the event. This year the club are entering mixed and female teams in the over 40s, 50s and 60s categories, as well as a team in the 280+ event, which requires the total ages of the four rowers to add up to 280 years or more. Advertisement One of the club's conveners, Justine Campbell, has been rowing with the club since the team started in 2021, and says the group is more than just a way to keep fit but a great way to make new friends. Justine told the Tele: 'Before the pandemic a group of people looked into the possibility of getting a skiffie to start the club. They got one of the boasts professionally built in Irvine, which some members helped make, but our second skiffie was built by members themselves. 'We have really come a long way, and we continue to attract new members because a lot of people see us rowing up and down the Gourock shores. 'It is a great way of keeping fit and it's all outdoors in the fresh air. It is also a good social activity.' Advertisement The event is the culmination of months of practice dating back to January. Justine added: 'The course is 2km, so it's a reasonable distance, but we have done much longer races and intense training to get ready for this. 'Some people are taking part in three or four events, so they have been training a lot recently. 'When we have been looking at our results from training, it should take our teams less than 13 minutes and some other teams about 16 minutes. 'We have got a turn in the course as well so that has been a key part of the course to focus on. 'The conditions have been quite lumpy for practice; the water has been pretty hard going, so we know it is not ideal, but the race is in Stranraer so there could be quite a northerly wind that we are up against.' Advertisement The week-long event begins on Sunday, July 6. Those who are interested in joining the Royal Gourock Costal Rowing Club should contact rgyccoastalrowing@ to find out more about training days and social rows.
ABC News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Small team of rowers from Perth represents Australia on world skiffie stage
As dawn breaks in Perth, a small group of rowers launch their boats into the Swan River at the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. These aren't typical competitive rowing boats. They are 155 kilogram wooden, hand-built coastal rowing boats called St Ayle's skiffs, also known as skiffies. They can be traced back to the 19th century mining communities of the famous Scottish town of Fife. And the rowers aren't your run-of-the-mill athletes — they are Australia's representatives at the World Championships taking part on Scotland's south-west coast in July. "We're now taking 16 rowers over to to Scotland. We are all over 50 and the age range goes up to 79," said Mark Endersby, the club's skiff race director. "This is male, female and mixed. So we've entered teams, crews, for the over 40s, over 50s, over 60s and the 280. "280 is the age group. The combined age of the rowers, so an average age of 70." The decision to compete at the World Championships happened over a cup of coffee after a row one morning, but if it weren't for a chance encounter a decade ago, and the influence of a famous figure in Australian sailing, the club may never have ventured into the sport. John Longley is a huge figure in the sailing world, courtesy of his crucial role in Australia II winning the 1983 America's Cup. He was the campaign's project manager, a crew member, and was instrumental in developing the teams strategy that ultimately led to the famous victory. But long after his success on the global stage, Longley can add the wide adoption of skiffs to his list of achievements. "I'd gone to the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart in 2013 and while I was there, I literally stumbled across one of these boats that was partly under construction," he said. "I was very taken with it and I realised that the way the whole thing worked was that these boats were built by community for community. "I thought, you know what, this would be something that could really work at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club." His initial suggestion was met with resistance. "There was a little bit of a 'well, you know, John, we're a sailing club'," Longley recalled. "I pointed out that in the early days of the club, there were more rowing races than there were yacht races and the the club very quickly I thought it was a good idea, and adopted it." The adoption of skiffs — small boats typically propelled by oars — has grown across Western Australia, and boats are built across the South West. The modern incarnation of skiff racing began in 2009, as a way of encouraging coastal Scottish communities to re-engage with the ocean. To take part, clubs purchase a marine plywood kit to build the boats, which must be done by hand. The boats are more than six metres long, have fixed seats, and the oars must be wooden. The Royal Freshwater club has three boats, but won't be taking them to Scotland. They'll be supplied boats for the event. While skiff racing has become a passion for the rowers, its impact goes beyond just getting on the water and keeping fit. Endersby arrived in Australia from England in 2023, and as a new migrant, knew just one person in Perth. "I was suffering from some mental health issues," he said of his decision to move across the world following the COVID pandemic. "It had been a really tough period for everybody, not just myself, and I had the opportunity with the kids going off to university and I thought I needed to look after myself. "I go back to when I first arrived here, and you can be quite lonely in places and that's a common feature of mental health issues." The person he knew invited him to the Royal Freshwater club to get out on the water. He gave it a go, and was drawn to more than the physical aspect of rowing. "It's created the community for me, and that community has has grown and grown and grown." The team is also using the World Championships to raise money for the mental health not-for-profit Youth Focus through its Row for Youth initiative.
