TEIGN Gig Regatta, organised by the River Teign Rowing Club, was able to take place thanks to a brief window in the weather - a day either side and it would not have taken place.

Racing began with the Men's B crews lining up near Sprey Point with crews rowing to the first mark near the pier.

Two further turns took crews back to the finish in front of the yacht club. A tussle for first place resulted in Cattewater pulling through on the final leg to take the trophy, with Caradon second place and Teign crews third in Morgan and sixth in Teign Spirit.

Teign Spirit was crewed by Tom Cooke, Simon Hounsell, Jamie Beaulah, Henry Trett, Ian Donohue, Rupert Holliday and cox, John Lintell. The Morgan crew comprised Dave Schiller, Ivan Tabbernor, John Haytread, Mike Izzard, Paul Walton, Nigel Evans and cox, Andy Forte,

Due to a shortage of rowers, and a quick restructure of crews at the water's edge, Paignton had no option, but to put ladies into the men's race. The men's B crew was made up of Alyson Whitehead, Lee Marshall, Tim Colliver, Jeff Wills, Jo Drury, Simon Pedley and cox, Sandra Pedley, in Top Catch. They finished seventh.

The next race was for men's A crews. Teign's crew of Graham Hill, Dave Johnson, Simon Putt, Dunstan Ferris, Rupert Holliday, Hounsell and cox, Rachel Holgate finished sixth.

Paignton's men's A crew of Tony Bateman, Ana de la Fuente, Ade Jones, Dean Farrell, Matt Scoble, Pete Scoble and cox, Lee Marshall, took to the water and started well settling at the rear of the fleet of seven gigs and finished seventh.

Ladies' B crews were next to go and with Teign having three crews, this was the largest fleet of the day. It was an exciting race with positions changing several times during the race.

Dart got off to a fantastic start with Caradon, taking an immediate and forceful lead.

Dart's Lightning crew of Peta Chivers, Clare Thorp, Maggie Trubshaw, Wendy Jones, Karen Marshall, Debbie Gillard and cox, Paul Kunert, finished second.

Caradon, who crossed the line first declared a majority of A rowers, so Dart were awarded the trophy, with the Teign crews coming second, fourth and sixth.

Paignton's Ladies B - Denise, Helen Burns, Jo Drury, Sarah Siddall, Julia Nelson-Smith, Tracie Marshall and cox Pete Scoble - crossed the line in seventh position.

The ladies' A race was a hotly contested affair. The local crew of Rachel Holgate, Kelly Inness, Sarah Free, Jane Avery, Lucy Barczok, Sue Heath and cox, Andy Forte, finished second behind Caradon

Paignton's crew of Grace Panter, Ana de la Fuente, Gill Knight, Helen French, Sarah Tingle, Tracey Western and cox, Dean Farrell were , a length down on Teign.

The men's veterans' race gave another spectacle of excellent rowing from all crews.

Paignton — Tony Bateman, Pete Scoble, Tim Colliver, Jeff Wills, Paul Tucker, Simon Pedley and cox, Sandra Pedley — were neck and neck with Caradon for a third of the course. However, Caradon pulled away with Paignton tussling with Raporee from Ilfracombe for second.

After a clash of oars and a warning to Ilfracombe to row straight, it finished Ilfracombe second and Paignton third.

Teign's Morgan crew of Dave Schiller, Ivan Tabbernor, John Haytread, Mike Izzard, Paul Walton, Nigel Evans and cox, Andy Forte had to settle for fourth.

The Teign Spirit crew of Bob Higgs, Mick Cranwell, Jamie Beaulah, Paul McMurray, Rupert Holliday, Dave Johnson and cox John Lintell, finished seventh ahead of Bristol.

The first home trophy of the day went to the lady veterans in Morgan after tussle with Salcombe.

The crew was Felicity Rawlings, Amanda Dyer, Rachel Holgate, Catherine Lovell, Jo Haydon, Sue Heath and cox Paul Walton.

Paignton — Alyson Whitehead, Tracey Western, Gill Knight, Helen Burns, Sarah Tingle, Tracie Marshall — finished third.

Teign' second crew of Sue Thulborn, Julie Cranwell, Sharon Sanger, Jacky Forte, Lisa Pash, Donna Bell and cox, Simon Hounsell in Double Dutch, crossed the line just behind Dart in eighth place.

Caradon won the mixed race ahead of a Teign crew in Morgan. Dart's mixed crew of Maggie Trubshaw, Richard Dorrington, Debbie Gillard, Johnny Holmes, Paul Hine, Howard Smith and cox, Paul Kunert finished fourth and Double Dutch were sixth.

Rachel Holgate for the River Teign Rowing Club said: "The Rowing Club would like to thanks all those who supported a most successful regatta – Teign Corinthian Yacht Club, ABP Teignmouth Quay, the visiting clubs and the many individual helpers on and off the water."

The World Seine Boat Championships, scheduled for the following day at Teignmouth, were cancelled due to the south westerly winds. It would have been dangerous getting the boats on and off the beach. The Championships are likely to be rescheduled for September 11.