DART Gig Club men and women took part in the annual Three Rivers race at Saltash on Sunday after a catalogue of disasters, including a vehicle breakdown and a flood, nearly conspired against them.

The ladies finished in 23rd position out of 39 boats in a time of 65 minutes, while the men rowed courageously to finish 27th out of 36 in 61 minutes.

The race is just under six miles long and passes through the Tamar, Tavy and Lynher rivers.

The day started off inauspiciously with a chapter of incidents along the way.

It had poured with rain all through the night and Coronation Park, where the gig was parked, was waterlogged.

Five minutes before the gig was due to leave Dartmouth, the usual towing vehicle was discovered to have a malfunction. The chairman came to the rescue with her people-carrier, which then got stuck in the mud on the park.

Two lady rowers put their backs into pushing the car, gig and trailer onto the hard-standing.

Mud was flying everywhere, splattering them from head to foot. They eventually set off with the experienced Clare Thorp at the wheel.

The next incident to be encountered was a major flood just past Norton Park.

Having negotiated the flood, the next challenge was getting fuel. Driving a car and trailer through a fuel station is quite a feat, but the garage at Harbertonford was thankfully deserted.

A further vehicle had been called up to take the rowers that the people-carrier had been going to transport.

This car reached the Sportsman's Inn before its windscreen wipers gave up the ghost.

Its passengers were transhipped among the other cars, one of which picked up a puncture en route and had to be repaired by the AA.

The final straw was when one of the men's crew texted in 30 minutes before the race to say he would not be able to make it.

A stiff north westerly wind made launching Lightning extremely awkward, with the wind driving the gig back onto the beach.

This was a tricky experience, but one which was accomplished without mishap.

The ladies started their race in the second heat, but well behind the line as the starters had changed the radio channel in use, which meant they couldn't hear the call to the start. The first leg was uncomfortable to row battling against a strong wind.

The water was messy, with a nasty chop largely due to the wind and tide running in opposite directions – more like rowing in the open sea than in the river.

However, Bristol, Truro and and Pendeen were passed with ease.

Once round the first mark, the waters calmed a little, and Dart powered past gigs from Tamar Tavy, Cotehele Quay, Rame and Penryn.

Strong rowing continued during the third leg under the Tamar Bridge, where Weymouth and Helford were taken.

Next came the men's race. This was the first time a men's crew from Dartmouth had taken part for some years and they rowed in the most challenging of waters. Conditions had worsened since the ladies' race, with bigger waves and a great deal of spray coming over the sides of the boat.

Controlling the boats at the start was a huge feat for the coxes.

There were two false starts before they got away far from cleanly.

Eleven rowers took part in the racing gig Lightning. Ladies' crew: Peta Chivers. Clare Thorp, Maggie Trubshaw, Jo Haydn, Carol Squire, Wendy Jones, coxed by Paul Kunert.

Men's crew: Paul Kunert, Jonny Holmes, Simon Tozer, Andy from Bristol (because Jon Pope had a last-minute engagement), Michael Bryant-Mole, Stan Bray, coxed by Clare Thorp.

The next race will be Dart's own regatta on Saturday, April 7, when it is hoped conditions will be a little less challenging.