The World Pilot Gig Championships return to the Isles of Scilly from Friday 30 April to Sunday 2 May 2027. The championship’s own site and Visit Isles of Scilly both list the dates for the three-day meeting. The 2026 event was won by Voose of Helford and Fury of Falmouth in the top women’s and open categories.
Crews race traditional Cornish pilot gigs in the waters around St Mary’s. First held in 1990 with a handful of Cornish crews, the championships now bring clubs from Cornwall, the wider South West and overseas to the islands, with race starts and shore activity centred on the archipelago’s largest island. The event won Tourism Event of the Year at the 2025 Cornwall Tourism Awards.
Visitor information
Dates: Friday 30 April to Sunday 2 May 2027.
Venue: Race waters around St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly. Exact courses and start sequences follow with the 2027 race programme.
Admission: Spectator arrangements for 2027 have not been published yet. Racing takes place on open water around St Mary’s, viewable from the shore and harbour.
Programme: The organiser says the 2027 race timetable will be confirmed nearer the event.
Travel: This is one of the islands’ busiest weekends. Book transport to Scilly and accommodation well ahead, and expect inter-island launches to be busier than usual around racing.
Race operations depend on conditions at sea. Use the organiser’s site for late course information and the official island travel operators for sailing or flight changes.
Where to stay
See Isles of Scilly visitor information and browse places to stay on the Isles of Scilly.
