Rowing: New Mahe Drysdale Junior Trophy adds to anticipation for Whanganui’s 2024 Rigtec Billy Webb Challenge

Mahe Drysdale after winning the elite men's Billy Webb Challenge in 2015. Photo / Bevan Conley

New Zealand rowing legend Mahe Drysdale’s name will be emblazoned on a new trophy up for grabs at the 2024 Rigtec Billy Webb Challenge in Whanganui.

The challenge will be held on Sunday, January 21, as part of Property Brokers Whanganui Vintage Weekend with young rowers to compete for the Mahe Drysdale Junior Trophy.

“We are absolutely thrilled that one of New Zealand’s most famous and loved sportsmen, double Olympic men’s single scull gold medallist and five-time world champion Mahe Drysdale, has supported a beautiful Katie Brown trophy for the top under-19 male or female single sculler, based on their prognostic time,” event manager and race director Philippa Baker-Hogan said.

“Mahe is our greatest single sculler ever as well as being a superb ambassador for this historic race.”

Drysdale won the Billy Webb Challenge six times and competed in nearly every race since the inaugural event in 2008, which marked 100 years since Billy Webb defended his world title on the Whanganui River as New Zealand’s first-ever rowing world champion.

“I just love this event as it is totally unique and historic and set me up yearly for some of my greatest achievements in the sport, as well as being a drawcard to bring other top international rowers to Whanganui and New Zealand,” Drysdale said.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have this new trophy named after me and supporting the next generation of young stars in our sport. I hope to get to Whanganui with my young family to present the inaugural trophy.”

The new Mahe Drysdale Junior Trophy, designed by Whanganui artist Katie Brown.

Event sponsor, Mark Webb of Rigtec Engineering, will be in Whanganui for the event.

A direct descendent of Billy Webb, he said the synergy for his company, which supplies rowing riggers and equipment for boat set-up throughout New Zealand and Australasia, with the challenge was fantastic and he was eager to see the battle for the men’s, women’s and junior trophies.

The event on the Whanganui River starts at 10am on Sunday, January 21. To enter and for more details visit billywebbchallenge.co.nz. Entries close on Thursday, January 18.