ROWERS READY TO MAKE A MASSIVE SPLASH

Rowers across the globe are training hard for a top sporting, spectator-friendly event, which is coming to Dumfries and Galloway early next month.

- SHARON LIPTROTT

SkiffieWorlds - the World Championship of St Ayles class of coastal rowing - takes place every three years and from July 6-12. The championship are being hosted by Stranraer Water Sports Association, on Loch Ryan. Stranraer previously hosted SkiffieWorlds in 2019, which attracted approximately 30,000 visitors over the week-long event.

SkiffieWorlds 2025 is regarded as the highlight of the competitive coastal rowing calendar with record entry numbers and a certainty that this year will see the biggest ever gathering of wooden St Ayles skiff boats which are all hand built by the competing clubs.

There will be 79 hand-built wooden skiffs and more than 2,000 rowers from across four continents. Teams are travelling to the region from Australia, USA, Canada and South Africa, and will compete alongside several teams from the Netherlands and a strong contingent from across the UK and Ireland. It is expected that a team from Stranraer and from Annan will join in.