Tufte pulls out of Billy Webb Challenge | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

One of Mahe Drysdale's fiercest rowing rivals, Norwegian Olaf Tufte, has pulled out of the Billy Webb Challenge on the Whanganui River on Saturday week.

Also out is New Zealand's No1 woman sculler, Emma Twigg, who won the women's race last year.

Race organiser Rob Hamill said Tufte, who is chasing gold in the singles at the world champs in Karapiro this week, wanted to go home after this weekend's finals to be with his wife and young child.

Olympic gold medalist Tufte beat Drysdale to win the inaugural 2008 Billy Webb Challenge.

Twigg's reason was she was feeling the effects of a long season. Hamill said he was disappointed by her decision and was now uncertain who would form the women's field for this year.

Hamill said though Drysdale was battling injury in his bid for gold at Karapiro, the world champion remained committed to a third Billy Webb appearance.

Definitely coming is Britain's Alan Campbell, who was a close second to Drysdale in last year's worlds at Poznan, Poland.

Campbell has contested the past two Olympic Games, finishing 12th at Athens in 2004 in the men's quad before switching to the single in 2006 and moving up to fifth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Prospace-sponsored event has also attracted top Swede Lassi Karrinon and New Zealand lightweight singles star Duncan Grant.

The event is named after Billy Webb, who won New Zealand's first world sculling title in 1907 and successfully defended it on the Whanganui a year later.