BRIDPORT’S Rowing Regatta will return to West Bay this weekend for the first time in four years.

The event, run as part of the Jurassic League, takes place on Saturday, July 2 and will see teams from Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset take to the waters for a packed day of competitive racing.

Bridport Gig Rowing Club will be competing in their newest gig, built in 2017, named Brydian. They’ll also be using, another club favourite, Dagger that was built in 2011. Both vessels have been used for competition in the World Pilot Gig Championships in Scillies earlier this year.

The gigs - a wooden racing boat which typically carries six people - will be launched from along the harbour so that there is plenty of action visible from the quayside for visitors to enjoy.

Teams of rowers will compete with clubs from Exmouth to Poole represented: including Bridport, Sidmouth, Lyme Regis, Portland, Weymouth, Swanage, Langstone (Hampshire) and Combwich (Somerset) all seeking to gain points and bolster their league position.

Bridport Gig Rowing Club enter this year’s Jurassic League as defending champions but it’s the first time racing has been seen on West Bay since 2018 with the pandemic causing a hiatus and 2019 being cancelled as a result of bad weather.

A spokesperson for Bridport Gig Rowing Club said: “The club is delighted to see this event on home territory for the first time since 2018. Each rower will be keen to win a medal in their individual races (with) team points scored for the races to reveal the current position of each club in this year’s competition.”

Races start at 10.00 with a course stretching 2.3 kilometres: the kite-shaped route heads west from the harbour and crews will need to navigate 3 buoys along the route. The start and finish line will be visible from off of West Pier to ensure there’s plenty of opportunities for spectators to get a view of the action.

Alongside the regatta there will be plenty of entertainment with a tombola, activities for children, and stalls selling burgers, sausages, bacon rolls, cakes, and plenty of hot drinks.