Tokyo Olympics women's coxless pair champion Kerri Williams (née Gowler) - pictured with partner Grace Prendergast (left) - is coming to the 2023 Rigtec Billy Webb Challenge.
Olympic rowing champion Kerri Williams (née Gowler) is heading to Whanganui for the 2023 Rigtec Billy Webb Challenge.
Whanganui Rowing Association, in association with Rigtec Engineering and Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust, has confirmed the 2023 event will start and finish on the Whanganui River adjacent to the silver ball sculpture,
by the Paddle Steamer Waimarie launch area, on Sunday, January 22, starting at 11am.
“The Rigtec Billy Webb Challenge is a crowd favourite that celebrates the incredible achievements of William ‘Billy’ Webb defending his world single sculling title on the Whanganui River in 1908, and we are delighted that Billy’s descendent Mark Webb, owner of Rigtec, has generously come on board as our naming sponsor in 2023,” former Olympian and Whanganui Rowing Association president Philippa Baker-Hogan said.
Rigtec provides rowing rigging equipment as well as other precision engineering products, Webb said.
“The dedication and precision required to perform at the level of Billy Webb in 1908 - and Whanganui’s adopted favourite rower, double Olympic gold-medallist Mahé Drysdale, over 100 years later - are highly-valued trademarks of Rigtec Engineering, and we are delighted to come on board as the naming sponsor in 2023,” he said.
