Rowing: Winter Series underway on Whanganui River

Rowing is back. The Winter Series got underway on the Whanganui River this morning. Photos / Lewis Gardner

It was only appropriate that the first competitive rowing race held in New Zealand since the lowering of the Covid-19 level restrictions was on the Whanganui River this morning.

In total, 21 rowing craft and two waka ama six-person crews entered the belated start to the 2020 Blinkhorne and Carroll Winter Series, in its traditional spot of the second Sunday of the month.

The June race was a 5km course heading upstream from the Union Boat Club, going underneath the Dublin and Railway bridges, before turning around and racing back to the finish, just before Railway Bridge.

As always, the leaderboard is decided on prognostic time - the highest percentage of the record time for each class of boat.

A previous Winter Series winner, Horowhenua RC's Bruce Tate claimed top spot, with his 22m 15.04s time being 85.39 per cent prognostic for a men's single craft.

The veteran Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club men's pair of Richard Brock and Trevor Rush were second with their 21m 39.05s time being 84.68 per cent on prognostic, while rounding out the podium was another AWRC team in James Clear and John Turner, with a 20m 39.7s time at 83.49 per cent.

Next round of the series will likely be July 12.

Richard Brock and Trevor Rush of Aramoho Whanganui RC race alongside Union Boat Club's Pat Carroll.