Perranporth team appeals for new rowers to revive a distinctive Cornish sport
One of Cornwall’s most distinctive sea sports is appealing for fresh faces, amid warnings that surfboat rowing could wither locally if numbers do not improve. The Perranporth surfboat rowing team, supported by Perranporth Surf Lifesaving Club, is inviting people to try the discipline through taster sessions as it seeks to rebuild crews.
Originally developed as a way to reach people in trouble before the advent of modern rescue craft, surfboat rowing pairs strength and surf knowledge with precise teamwork. Crews of four power heavy rowing boats through breaking waves, then turn to time a fast run back to shore on a swell. While it remains a staple of coastal sport in Australia, organisers say participation in Cornwall has dwindled over recent years.
“It’s kind of got to a critical point where if we don’t build the numbers now and recruit more people it’s going to die as a sport,”
said Kim Marie Jackson, chair of the UK Surf Rowers League, who described surfboat rowing as an especially high-adrenaline activity that once drew packed start lines in the UK.
From packed line-ups to thinner crews
Recalling the scene two decades ago, Jackson said that when she began competing in 2006 there were, on average, strong men’s and women’s turnouts. The picture now, she noted, is markedly slimmer. Club volunteers in Perranporth hope structured introductions through the lifesaving club will ease people into the waves and rebuild confidence in the boats.
New rower Sian Kirby joined the Perranporth team earlier this year and has already had a taste of competition. She described the learning curve as steep but rewarding, highlighting the moment when a crew catches a wave back to shore as the payoff for the effort of punching out through the surf.
“This is my first season in the waves but I’ve already managed to compete in my first competition… When you’re catching a wave back in all the hard work to get out there is worth it.”
‘Underused’ opportunity on Cornwall’s beaches
Ken Croft, who heads the National League of Surf Rowers, wants more people to try the sport, stressing that Cornwall’s coastline provides accessible venues and a range of conditions suitable for training days as well as race practice.
“In Cornwall we are so gifted with the beaches we have got and the accessibility that we’ve got and the surf locations that we’ve got… This sport is underused.”
Local organisers emphasise that sessions are not confined to heavy surf. Controlled, smaller days allow crews to build technique, balance and timing before progressing to larger swells. Support from the lifesaving club gives newcomers a structured environment, with safety procedures embedded from the outset.
How to get involved
Perranporth Surf Lifesaving Club is offering taster opportunities for those curious about the discipline. Coaches and experienced rowers are on hand to introduce equipment, water entry and recovery drills, and the teamwork needed to launch and turn the boat between sets.
- Taster sessions: Offered via Perranporth Surf Lifesaving Club to introduce basics and assess interest.
- All-weather approach: Training can run in varied conditions; it “doesn’t have to be big surf every time,” organisers say.
- Team sport with purpose: Rooted in lifesaving traditions, surfboat rowing blends fitness, seamanship and community participation.
Advocates argue that a revival would help preserve a strand of Cornwall’s coastal culture that grew alongside surf lifesaving. With established facilities on one of the county’s best-known beaches and a cadre of committed volunteers, the ingredients are in place. The missing piece, they say, is more people willing to give it a go.
Anyone interested in testing the waters is encouraged to look out for the club’s introductory sessions and speak to current members on the beach. With commitment from new recruits, organisers believe the sport can rebuild its presence on Cornwall’s shores.
