SkiffieWorlds championship: The 2,000-strong rowing extravaganza descending on this Scottish town
The youngest rowing competitor at the SkiffieWorlds championship is 14, while the oldest is thought to be 81 years old.
More than 2,000 rowers from four continents will descend on Scotland next week for the largest rowing event of its kind.
The SkiffieWorlds championship is taking place Stranraer, on the west coast of Dumfries and Galloway, and will see a record-breaking 79 clubs compete.
Skiff rowing groups often centre around St Ayles skiffs, a 22-foot fixed-seat rowing boat designed specifically for community building and coastal rowing. Each boat is typically built by the community that rows it.
They are popular in Scotland, with clubs dotted around the country’s coastline.
Participants to the week-long event, which takes place from July 6 to 12, will come from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, USA and Canada, alongside teams from across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The championship race, involving a 2,000m multi-lane course, will see more than 100 races across multiple age categories from under 17 to over 60, plus mixed and open competitions.
The youngest competitor is 14, while the oldest is thought to be 81 years old.
Wendi Cuffe, trustee of Stranraer Water Sports Association, said: "SkiffieWorlds is a world championship rowing event, but it’s about so much more than competition. It's a celebration of community, connection, active participation and coastal heritage.
“The shoreside festival programme reflects everything that makes this sport special, from the international friendships forged through shared love of the water to the wellbeing benefits that keep people coming back to rowing.”
Organisers said there are now more than 350 St Ayles skiff boats registered around the world, making it one of the fastest-growing water sports globally.
St Ayles coastal rowing, inspired by traditional Scottish fishing boats, emerged in 2009 from a collaboration between the Scottish Fisheries Museum, Jordan Boats, and renowned boat designer Iain Oughtred, an expert in historic boats. It is said the project aimed to revitalise community involvement in coastal regattas, echoing historical traditions of Fife miners' rowing and sailing.
Rebecca Edser, head of EventScotland, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Stranraer SkiffieWorlds through EventScotland’s National Events Funding Programme and it’s great to see the event offer on land as well as on the water.
“Events like the SkiffieWorlds help encourage economic growth for the region and elements like the Wellness Hub bring further physical, mental and social benefits to the local community.”
Stranraer previously hosted SkiffieWorlds in 2019. Organisers said the event attracted about 30,000 visitors over the week-long event and generated an estimated £3.5 million-£4m for the local economy. They said the 2025 event was expected to have an even greater economic impact given the increased participation.
The event showcases Stranraer's ongoing transformation as a major water sports destination, with construction underway on a £6.7m Water Sports Hub scheduled to open in summer 2026.
SkiffieWorlds 2025 is hosted by Stranraer Water Sports Association on behalf of St Ayles Skiff International. The event is sponsored by EcoGen and funded by EventScotland, Dumfries and Galloway Council, South of Scotland Enterprise, Kilgallioch Community Fund and the Galloway Association of Glasgow.
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