St Ives Brewery Sponsoring the world pilot gig championships

St Ives Brewery has jumped on board with the World Pilot Gig Championships 2026, becoming the event's main beer sponsor. This year’s event will take place on St Mary's from 1st - 3rd May, and will be a focal point of the gig rowing community.

The championships, first ran in 1990 with a few Cornish crews, is now a world renown sporting event, where over 130+ crews will make the journey to St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly to compete in the sports hallmark annual gig racing event. There will be world champions crowned, catch up with old friends, and a few celebrations along the way.

As a growing Cornish brand, St Ives Brewery have made huge steps in recent years, from increased production in a high-tech brewery, to supermarket listings and plenty of new trade customers across Cornwall, The Isles of Scilly and further afield. When the opportunity to join in with the World Pilot Gig Championships came around, it was too good an opportunity not to get involved with. A perfect marriage of a love for the sea, adventure and good times.

The brewery also sponsors Falmouth Pilot Gig Rowing club, a team steeped in championship history and pedigree, so an overall championship sponsorship was a logical next step.

Brewery founder Marco Amura said, "Gig rowing is a sport that is part of the tapestry of Cornwall, a way of getting out on the water with friends and enjoying camaraderie. The World Pilot Gig Championships is a heritage event, and one we have been lucky enough to attend on numerous occasions, to be heading there as a main beer sponsor s a real honour. We can't wait to be a part of an incredible weekend of racing and celebrating all that comes with competitive gig rowing".

Tristan Hick, Chair of the World Pilot Gig Championships added, "We are delighted to have St Ives brewery onboard as a sponsor at the 2026 Isles of Scilly World Pilot Gig Championships. It's these sorts of sponsorships that help us to bring the event to life, in a way that ensures that rowers and spectators from all over the world get to enjoy themselves. The community of gig rowing is forever thankful to like-minded sponsors". 

The team at St Ives Brewery will be adding more local flavours to the event in May and will be there to ensure the post row refreshments are flowing