I name this ship "Tiger": Celebrity Row get the Bishop of Leicester's blessing

Tiger

Saturday 19th June saw the crowds gather in Leicester for the Celebrity Row boat naming ceremony! At midday, on Market Street, The Rt. Revd Bishop Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, blessed the Cornish Gig and all those who will row in her.

 

Specially built for a world record attempt on rowing the River Thames, this is the first ever Cornish Gig to be built in carbon fibre. In honour of the Leicester Tigers' amazing year, the boat was officially named "Tiger", and some of the victorious Tigers team were on hand to wish this epic journey 'Bon Voyage' and give Dominic's crew a full Leicester Send Off!!

 

Thank you to the Leicester Mercury for capturing the event in these photographs.

Preambles

Some people drive it, others cycle it, and the very ambitious walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. But nobody has ever been truly barmy enough to row a boat from the most north easterly tip of mainland Britain to the most south western point. Until now.

 

There are many reasons why such a journey by rowing boat could be considered a rash undertaking. There are the 1,097 miles of sea, river and canal for starters. There are the three weeks of a punishing schedule of row, eat, sleep, row again.

Who could be crazy enough to attempt such a feat? And why?

 

Step forward Lumbers’ Captain Dominic Gomersall and his merry crew: Olympic rower Gary Reid, Leicestershire businessman Ian Mattioli, Andy Lyon from PWC, and Paul Bassett from Lumbers. The crew will be completed by another Tigers star for the 2010 challenge.

 

EVENTS & NEWS
Party with the crew! more>>
About turn! Final change of route! more>>
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