PORTLAND Gig Rowing Club’s under-16s brought home their first trophy of the season last weekend.

The crew enjoyed a great day of rowing at the Swanage Gig Rowing Regatta as they fought off tough competition from Bridport and Langstone Cutters.

The team won both the 1,250m triangular course race and 500m straight sprint.

Portland were represented by juniors, mixed, men’s veterans, ladies’ veteran’s, men’s A and B, and ladies’ A and B crews, all rowing Pulpit Rock.

Courses were approximately two miles long with three buoy turns which tested the skills of the rowers.

The mixed Portland crew rowed hard down the last leg of the course against the wind and tide, finishing fifth in a race that also featured teams from Weymouth and Bristol.

The ladies’ veterans put in a solid row to achieve third place with a time of 17 minutes 33 seconds, with Swanage coming first.

Portland’s ladies’ B crew came sixth and both the men’s A and B squads finished seventh.

The weather deteriorated for the last two races but the ladies’ A team showed their strength on the final leg to come through the field from sixth to fourth.

Overall, Portland crews came fifth out of 13 gig rowing teams.

If you would like more information about having a go at gig rowing, contact portlandgigrowingclub@yahoo.co.uk