The Wanganui Rowing Association's Blinkhorne & Carroll Whanganui Winter Series kicked off for another year on Sunday with 35 boats on the water.

The first in the five race series of mixed boat races attracted kayaks, waka and rowing boats all racing the 5km course from the rail bridge, up to Pauls Rd and back to the city.

Results are decided by prognostic time - where each boat tries to reach the highest percentage possible of the world record time for their specific class.

Trevor Rush and Richard Brock paired to win the opening race in a time of 20m 6s which gave them a prognostic percentage of 93.62 to carry on their good form from the 2017 series.

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Wanganui Collegiate single sculler Jamie Harris was runner up in a time of 21m 20s or 92.31 per cent of the world record.

The double sculls team of Alistair Bond and Justin Evans put on the fastest on-course time of 17m 43s but a prognostic percentage of 91.72 left them in third spot.

Rowers from Wellington and Horowhenua clubs ventured north for the opening race and with Blinkhorne & Carroll on board this year $1000 prize money is being offered across the five races of the series which will be held on the second Sunday of each month.

The next race of the Winter Series is June 10.