The Whanganui River will be buzzing with up to 150 kayaks, canoes, outriggers and other craft when the River Challenge returns at the end of October.
The third running of the event will feature two days of competition for paddlers of all kinds over the weekend of October 29-30.
Launched in 2009 by Wanganui's former world champion kayaker Aaron Cox, the river challenge has attracted over 100 entries in the past and this year Cox is looking for 120 to 150.
"The Whanganui is a great location - the width of the river and the setting make it ideal - but it is under-utilised," said Cox.
"We have a great rowing tradition here but not much else."
It was a desire to see people out on the river that prompted Cox to organise the event. It quickly attracted athletes from the central and lower North Island and this year interest has already been shown by kayakers in Auckland.
Cox, world champion in 1995 and still the national masters champion at K2 with Wanganui's Brian Scott, said the first day would feature six-man outrigger races and K4s - four-man kayaks - over 5000 metres off Kowhai Park.
Sunday will see the Four Bridges Race over 13km and the 4km Two Bridges Race, both of which would be open to any "man-powered craft".
Cox and some of those who will be competing in the River Challenge have been in action for the Wanganui Multisport & Triathlon Club at the New Zealand 10km kayaking championships at Lake Okareka near Rotorua.
In the championship race, former Wanganui High School student and NZ marathon team member Jason Anderson, 19, finished sixth, beating Cox into seventh in a sprint finish.
The race was won by world championship squad member Scott Bicknell, followed by NZ rep Sam Newlands and Bejing Olympic finalist Mike Walker.
In the under-19 boys race Wanganui's Aiden Nossiter won the bronze medal, with team-mates Toby Brooke seventh and Lachie Cromar ninth. With all three boys still 15 or under, they proved how competitive they are as they opted to race above their age groups to secure tougher competition.
In the masters division, Scott took the silver medal behind last year's world marathon championship competitor Glenn Muirhead from Wellington.
The Canoe Racing NZ event also doubled as the final race of the national 10km winter series and Wanganui's team of seven added to its two championship medals with two series winners.
Paige Nossiter's fourth place in the girls under-19 championship race was good enough to secure her the series win, while Wanganui's under-19 boys dominated the series with first, second and third to Aiden Nossiter, Brooke and Cromar.
Entries are now open for the Whanganui River Challenge at riverchallenge.co.nz