DART Gig Club rowers narrowly missed a place in the semi-finals at the fiercely competitive National Championships held recently in Newquay.

The event is one of the most prestigious in the gig racing calendar – second only to the World Championships held every May in the Scilly Isles.

Dartmouth’s Men’s A team gained the club’s best results, finishing a magnificent 20^th out of 75 crews. The Men’s B team were awarded a respectable 43^rd place.

Out of 83 crews, Dart Ladies A team scooped an excellent 27^th place, while the B team finished in 69^th place.

Meanwhile in the club’s junior section, sisters Mabel and Lily Abbott were awarded the Baker Estates Trophy for the most outstanding achievement during the Junior Rowing events at this year’s Dartmouth Regatta.

The girls won the junior pairs and also were part of the winning U14 crew at the regatta sprints.

Their cox, Peta Chivers, said: “The girls did really well, beating older juniors and a boys crew in this well contested race.”

The club’s final event of the season is the Lyzie Pyne memorial race to Dittisham and back on Sunday October 2, after which its sleek wooden gigs will be laid up for the winter.