Drysdale welcomes open race

Mahe Drysdale will have a lot more competition on the water as this year's Aon Billy Webb Challenge is opened up for all single scullers. PHOTO/FILE

It should be a crowded spectacle on the Whanganui River next month when the 2014 edition of the biennial Aon Billy Webb Challenge gets under way on November 30.

In light of growing financial costs, the Wanganui Rowing Association, in agreement with sponsor Aon, Wanganui District Council and Rowing NZ, have changed the format for the headline 5km race to include all the single sculler categories.

New Zealand's Elite men and women in their Olympic preparations will be side-by-side with club, masters, and school competitors.

At the last race in December 2012, Mahe Drysdale successfully defended the trophy against his fellow London Olympic gold medal-winning teammates in Nathan Cohen, Joe Sullivan, and Eric Murray, in what was something of a lap of honour for the New Zealand rowing public after the success at the games.

Australia's double medallist Kim Crow completely dominated the separate elite women's race for the Philippa Baker-Hogan Cup against three young NZ training squad rowers in Sarah Gray, Fiona Bourke and Zoe Stevenson.

This year, event co-ordinator Stephanie Rush said they decided to host one large field, made popular by the Armada Cup in Switzerland.

Armada Cup is unique in that it has a mass start with lines of 25 boats stretching across the river.

It is more inclusive and also reduces the production costs by having one giant race as opposed to a main event with several support races.

"Single scullers are invited to compete on the Whanganui River, going head to head against Rowing NZ summer school elite athletes, including Olympic champions Drysdale, Murray, and Hamish Bond," said Rush.

Bond was the only gold medallist unable to attend in 2012, due to his girlfriend's graduation.

While single scullers of all levels will compete together, Rush said there will be prize purses for winners from each category - elite men, elite women, club, masters and school.

"The extra participants should provide an exciting spectacle for the crowd."

Drysdale, a five-time winner of the Armada Cup, welcomed the change.

"This is an awesome race. It's unique in the fact the scullers all start together in a shotgun start.

"It's carnage and a big advantage to be in front."

He last entered in the Swiss cup race in October 2013, finishing tenth overall, over a minute behind local winner Nico Stahlberg.

In addition to the Billy Webb trophy race, there will be the Corporate Eights Challenge, which will feature heats in the Aon Jury Cup Regatta on Saturday, November 29, with the final on the Sunday.

The Billy Webb Challenge commemorates world champion Billy Webb's historic defence of his title on the Whanganui River back in 1908.

For more information, visit www.billywebbchallenge.co.nz