Rowing: Fate of the future of Billy Webb Challenge hangs in air

Lisa Scheenaard and Mahe Drysdale with the Open Women's and Open Men's trophies at the 2018 Billy Webb Challenge on the Whanganui River today.

The question of what happens to the Billy Webb Challenge after its eighth race and 10th anniversary is still to be decided.

Wanganui Rowing Association president Philippa Baker-Hogan told the crowd at the prizegiving on the Whanganui River this afternoon that the event is "a challenge financially" to maintain.

"We're looking with the Whanganui District Council at a festival," said Baker-Hogan, who is also a WDC councillor.

She said they wanted to take advantage of the strong waka ama and kayaking communities in Whanganui to do a combined watersports event, perhaps inviting stars like Lisa Carrington, which would include then include the Billy Webb Challenge as part of it.

"We're working very hard at keeping this going."

In the support races for the 2018 Billy Webb Challenge, the Whanganui Schools Waka Ama Challenge was won by the Tahi Crew of City College, out of the three crews from their school and one from Cullinane College on the 400m sprint course.

Tahi was Kane Hinga, Moana Ward, Anika Robinson, Brayden Tyson, Malcolm Smith and Bailey Fabish.

The Red Community 8's was won by Wangani Collegiate School Parents, after four crews completed the 500m sprint.

The winning crew was Gavin Parsons, Juanita Murphy, Paul Osborne, Rhys McKinlay, Steve Hanna, James Kilmister, Sacha Ravn, Stephanie Rush and coxswain Bella Stevenson-Watt.

Photo gallery from the event

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