Rowers tackle 10km of Whanganui River

The Aramoho Wanganui Rowing Club's senior men's eight and Union Boat Club's Philippa Baker-Hogan and were the top of the podium at the Whanganui River Challenge yesterday morning.

Following on from the Winter Series races, which are around 6km in length, this endurance race takes in the full 10,000m course, starting from the Upokongaro Pontoon and reaching the finishing line across from the National Library.

Seven boats of eights crews entered the long course race, while there were eight entries for the Head of the River race, consisting of six singles, a double and a coxed four.

Ultimately, the AWRC team of past and present WHS students; Cameron Lawrence, (James Sandston), Luke Watts, Hugh Pawson, Jonty Thomson, Levi Carroll, Nathan Luff, Guy Thomson and cox Niamh Mullany won the day.

They were five minutes clear of second place, which was another AWRC crew, with third going to the Wanganui Collegiate Under 16-17 crew.

In the Head of the River race, Baker-Hogan completed the course in 45m 59s, which was 91.01 per cent of the prognostic time for her grade.

Second place went to AWRC's Under 16 coxed four of  WHS students; Zeah Brewer, Mikayla Manville, Niamh Murphy, Ella Dudley, and cox Campbell Monk, with 89.42 per cent prognostic.

Third was Collegiate's Jamie Harris with 89.01 per cent of the girls under 18 grade time.
Next on the horizon the Wanganui Rowing Association (WRA) will hold the Jury Cup on November 25, followed by the prestigious Billy Webb Challenge the following day.

By Jared Smith
Wanganui Chronicle 14/11/17