Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle / Sport

Bond triumphs in Webb challenge

By Jared Smith
Whanganui Chronicle·
30 Nov, 2014 05:13 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
ROW ROW: New Zealand Olympian Hamish Bond going all out to win the Aon Billy Webb Challenge yesterday morning on the Whanganui River.

ROW ROW: New Zealand Olympian Hamish Bond going all out to win the Aon Billy Webb Challenge yesterday morning on the Whanganui River.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

THE 28-year-old world champion who was a young wildcard entry six years ago returned as a hardened campaigner to lift the Aon Billy Webb Challenge trophy off its three-time winner on the Whanganui River yesterday.

Hamish Bond, undefeated in all major competition since 2009, held off Olympic single sculls champion Mahe Drysdale to win his first 5km Billy Webb race through a strong river current that brought its share of obstacles.

Looking to get a strong start in the first line of six scullers, including fellow New Zealand representative Lucy Spoors, leading a field of around 21, Bond knew a strong opening was crucial.

He started as he meant to go on with a 41 strokes-per-minute pace, compared to Drysdale's 33.

Bond recognised the 36-year-old Drysdale had the better line on the river and began drifting over to his side, hoping to keep his three quarter length advantage at the same time.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, mother nature came into play as Drysdale had to slow with a log looming in front of him, 500m from the railway bridge, and Bond pounced to pull out to a four length lead.

Coming to the 3km mark, the champion Drysdale had gamely pulled back some of that advantage, putting in 43 strokes per minute as Bond slowed to 32-33 before making the final push.

Coming into sight of supporters on the jetty at the Union Boat Club as they passed under Dublin St bridge, Bond had reasserted his four length advantage as both men were feeling the strain.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bond would cross the line at around the 19m 29s mark, with Drysdale only two and a half lengths behind him after a big comeback, but ultimately the log had the final say.

There was a tighter bunch of about four boats in contention for third, with a Blenheim crew emerging as the podium place-getter.

Bond said he had to grip the oars so tightly in the current that he could not feel his forearms afterwards.

"The first 2km I just felt like getting run over by a steamroller.

"That was some of the toughest conditions I've raced in.

"I had to work really hard and came off to the side of the course Mahe was on.

"If Mahe got 5-6 lengths in front of me I knew I'd just be kicking myself."

Seeing his fellow Olympic gold medallist get tangled up with the log, Bond knew he just had to cover his side and then hang on at the finish.

"It was a bit ugly but I'm sure [Mahe] would say it wasn't the prettiest race of his life either."

Drysdale was not offering excuses.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"You never know would could have happened.

"Part of river racing is making sure your course is good but I got a little too far over. It's my fault.

"It was a pretty tough race, actually, that first 2km was really tough.

"Hamish got the good start and I couldn't peg it back."

For Christchurch's Spoors, part of the women's quad that came fifth at the world championships, untamed river racing was a new experience, probably not helped by the fact the standout athlete had competed in the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge the day before.

"Tougher than I expected because of the conditions," she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I was just focused on staying in my boat for the first leg."

Spoors said she would love to bring her New Zealand crewmates back in 2016 to race them on the river, and the veteran campaigner Drysdale also confirmed he is likely to return.

"I think so, obviously the plan is to row through until Rio [Olympics] so I'll look to compete after that."

Meanwhile, it was a random draw for the starting lanes in the Aon Jury Cup's corporate eight challenge after Saturday's qualifying races were cancelled.

In the end, it was the defending champions Aon Risk Takers who were comfortable winners, maintaining a two boat length advantage while the Leading Edge crew from Wanganui District Council held out for second in a close finish with the Stringrays Haden & Custance.

As well as the Aon team, it was the second Jury Cup win for captain Pat Spriggens, who won with the Display Associates team back in the very first corporate race event.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Rules were slightly different then - you were allowed four [regular] rowers in it," he said.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Sport

Rugby: Whanganui women triumph with six tries

Sport

Rugby: Young guns shine in high-scoring clash against Classics

Whanganui Chronicle

Coaching guru moves south to take role at Cricket Whanganui


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Rugby: Whanganui women triumph with six tries
Sport

Rugby: Whanganui women triumph with six tries

The Whanganui team won 34-22 against King Country in a preseason match.

28 Jul 05:00 PM
Rugby: Young guns shine in high-scoring clash against Classics
Sport

Rugby: Young guns shine in high-scoring clash against Classics

28 Jul 05:00 PM
Coaching guru moves south to take role at Cricket Whanganui
Whanganui Chronicle

Coaching guru moves south to take role at Cricket Whanganui

20 Jul 05:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP