HOST club Lyme Regis finished in overall third place at their own gig rowing regatta, which in contrast to last year was held under blue skies and with very little in the way of wind.

The event got underway with the junior race, and the Lyme crew in Tempest started well, settling into the leading pack before eventually finishing second behind Bridport, who included a couple of Lyme rowers in their line-up.

After the ladies’ and men’s supervets races, in which Lyme earned a respectable fourth place in both, the lack of wind forced organisers to shorten the course.

In the ladies’ A category, Lyme boat Rebel, with a composite crew from the Newquay club, finished 11th ahead of Spirit of Langstone from Hayling Island.

Up next was the men’s A race. Lyme’s Rebel eventually broke free from the pack and they took the win in front of the Weymouth crew in Tristan and Tempest, another Lyme boat.

The ladies’ B were next off the start line and, again with rowers from Newquay, Rebel gained an early lead before going on to triumph.

Staying within reach of them for most of the course were Brixham in Pegasus and Weymouth’s Tristan.

The Lyme crew in Tempest finished ahead of Sidmouth’s Keith Owen and Bristol’s Young Bristol in 10th.

Lyme’s crew in the ladies’ C race looked like contenders to push the hosts club to the top of the leaderboard.

Tempest, Weymouth (Tristan), Brixham (Pegasus) and Ilfracombe (Rogue) battled it out and it was the Brixham crew who crossed the line first, with Lyme finishing an impressive fourth.

The men’s B rowers were next on the start line, and this race also featured a composite crew racing in Lyme’s Rebel.

All looked very evenly placed over the first half of the course but after rounding the second mark effectively it was Brixham who again triumphed. Weymouth were second and Lyme third.

The possible final overall standings were becoming a little clearer as the men’s C crews took to the line.

Once again, a lot of white water was exchanged off the start line and the Teign crew in Morgan were among the frontrunners, which also included Lyme, Bristol and Ilfracombe – the Sidmouth crew featured an 87-year-old in their ranks.

Lyme took third and with only three races to go they, along with Weymouth, Brixham, Ilfracombe and Bridport, were in contention for the overall victory.

Weymouth beat Torridge and Bridport to the line in the ladies’ vets, while Ilfracombe took first in front of Lyme and Brixham in the men’s race.

The last race was to be the decider.

The mixed crews’ event included a composite crew from Newquay and others and they very much set the pace.

Hunting them down with every stroke were Swanage, Ilfracombe, Bristol and Weymouth, and it would be Swanage who took the win.

At the end of it all, Weymouth were first, Ilfracombe second and Lyme Regis third.

Lyme Regis Gig Club would like to thank all their sponsors and harbour users for being so supportive.

Thanks also to harbourmaster Grahame Foreshaw and his team for their help.