Clevedon Pilot Gig Club, Clevedon Coastal Rowing Club and City of Bristol Rowing Club joined forces to compete in the Cork Ocean to City race on Saturday.

The three clubs put members forward to crew a Somerset BarBars team, which went on to secure a superb second place finish.

Henry Smith, Tim Godfrey, Scott Ferrier and Tony Healey leapt at the chance of the challenge after a passing suggestion from Smith, with all rowers desperate to get back into open competition.

The event was a 30km long row from the North Atlantic into Cork Harbour as part of the Harbour Festival event, but due to restrictions in place to deal with the coronavirus pandemic all rowing was undertaken remotely on rowing machines.

Crews were challenged with competing to cover the largest distance possible in the time previously set as the course record of two hours, 23 minutes and 19 seconds.

And the Somerset BarBars combined to record an impressive total of 132,804 metres at an average of 33,201m each on what is normally a 30,000m course.

First place was taken by a crew of two from Vartry Rowing Club, who managed an astonishing average of 35,315m.

A spokesperson for the Somerset BarBars said: “All crew members stated it was the longest time they had ever spent in a single sitting on a rowing machine, vowing not to do it again at least until next week!

“Congratulations to everyone who took part and brilliant effort for gaining second place!”