World Championships IOS
May 3 - May 5
The World Pilot Gig Championship is split up into four main categories; Masters (60+), Super Vets (50+), Vets (40+), and the Open (16+). Each category is sub-divided into Men's & Women's. There are no mixed races or crews in the WPGC.
Race instructions:
St. Agnes Races
The start line will be formed by the use of 5 equally spaced tall buoys creating 4 starting sections. The gigs will be split, alphabetically, into groups of between 20 to 35 gigs. Each group will be allocated one of the sections. The number of sections used will depend on the number of gigs starting the race.
When gigs arrive at the start they should wait, well behind the start line, for the starters instructions. There will be a 10 minute warning for the start of the race announced over the radio, followed by a 5 minute warning, then counting down the 5 minutes once a minute, ending with "GET SET" then "GO".
Any gig over the start line after the 1 minute warning and before "GO" is called will be disqualified.
There will be a boat at each end of the line and one alongside the middle buoy. On board these boats there will be officials whose task it will be to note any gig transgressing the rules.
Nut Rock Races
5 minutes before your start time or when the previous heat is about to start, move up to a position just behind your starting berth buoys. When the start line has cleared, your starting berths will be announced over the radio.
You will then be asked, by radio, to move up, between your berth buoys, to the start line which is approximately 2 lengths past the berth buoys. The flag will now be in the horizontal position. Gigs moving ahead of the start line will be asked to move back. Failure to do so will lead to disqualification.
When the line is straight the flag will be raised to the vertical position and “get set” will be called on the radio. There will be a short pause before the flag is dropped and simultaneously “go” is called on radio.
Any Gig rowing ahead of the start line while the flag is in the vertical position will be disqualified.
Gigs must be at the area when their heat is called.
Any Gig not at the start on time will be left behind.