British Rowing Championships comes to Channel Islands this summer

Thursday 25 January 2024

The British Rowing Offshore Championships will be staged in the Channel Islands.

It will be held in Jersey on 1 and 2 June, with Guernsey crews eyeing up the opportunity of taking part so close to home.

The races usually take place over 4km courses in heats and 6km in finals.

Traditionally they involve starting on the beach and finishing in the sea. 

Jersey rower Gary Briggs has been instrumental in bringing this latest tournament to the island.

He said: “This is something I have been working on for a couple of years now.

“We have incredible local rowing talent here on the Island and we have consistently picked up medals at this event.”

After stepping down as vice-captain of the Jersey Rowing Club in 2023, Briggs was invited to join the BROC organising committee last year.

“I was delighted to be invited to be on the committee and to be able to help bring the competition to Jersey,” he added. “It’s a huge privilege to get to host this event.

“The tournament has a great history and we as a club are very proud to have contributed our part over the years.”

The latest edition held in 2023 in Exmouth, Devon, saw Jersey victories in the coastal women’s quad sculls, coastal mixed coxed quad sculls and the women’s coastal solo events.

Guernsey did not send any crews.

The local rowing season is scheduled to begin on Saturday 20 April with the St Sampson to St Peter Port race.

The Sark to Jersey is provisionally scheduled for Saturday 20 July.