Porthleven Gig Clubs - "Across the Bay" Race

St. Michaels Mount is the starting line for the annual dash across the bay. This race is the ultimate test to prove the stamina and determination of a Mixed crew. Eight miles from St Michael's Mount to Porthleven, a race that is normally completed in just over an hour.

Several mixed crews keenly contest this event, all racing for the Kenneth Mathews Memorial Cup. 

Kenneth was a stalwart of the Club. Both he and his wife Barbara have always supported the Porthleven Gig Club from the very first. Kenneth's mother was the sister to the Richards brothers, who were all lost in the "Energetic", and Barbara was the Club's first Secretary. Each year Kenneth made sure that his marquee was erected on the Harbour Head for Gig Day, and generally took command of the barbecue, issuing instructions to all and sundry.

On the evening when the "Across the Bay" race was run in 2007, Kenneth and Barbara had just returned from Devoran, after erecting Kenneth's marquee ready for Ralph Bird's (shipwright of our "Energetic") birthday celebrations. Kenneth went into the house and sat in his armchair, Barbara went out onto the patio to see if the gigs were in sight.

Sure enough, they could be seen just off Rinsey, when Kenneth called out and asked Barbara to pour him a whiskey. Having attended to that task, Barbara went outside once again to watch the progress of the race, and called out to Kenneth to come out and have a look; otherwise he was going to miss them. There was no reply. It was at that moment that Kenneth had passed away.

So, this annual event is rather special, and all "Across the Bay" races will remind us of a man who had Porthleven at his heart, a keen supporter of the Porthleven Gig Club from the very start, who will always be remembered for his sense of humour and involvement with all things local.

Timings for an earlier event were as follows:

Barbara Mathews presents the Kenneth Mathews Memorial Cup to the Mounts Bay crew.  Being a Marazion girl, Barbara wasn't too upset that Porthleven hadn't, on that occasion, emerged victorious.