When former Olympic rowing champion Mahé Drysdale used to come first in a race, the hard work was done.

But that’s not the case with winning the Tauranga mayoralty.

“It’s a bit different to normal where in the past when I’ve succeeded, that’s the end of a journey, whereas this one, it’s very much the start.”

Drysdale has taken out the top spot with 16,178 votes, the preliminary results for the Tauranga City Council election show.

The man set to be the city’s first mayor in four years says leading the city he grew up in will be like coming home.

There were 15 people vying for the mayoralty. Runner-up Greg Brownless gained 10,293 votes, followed by Ria Hall with 8,612 votes and Tina Salisbury received 7,183 votes, according to the preliminary results.

The two-time Olympic rowing gold medallist grew up in Tauranga and lives in Cambridge. He plans to move to back to Tauranga at the end of the school year, with his wife Juliette and their three children, aged 4, 7 and 9.

Speaking to Local Democracry Reporting the day after his landslide win, Drysdale says his priority is working with his team of nine councillors to “realise the potential of Tauranga”.

“[Tauranga] is a good city at the moment, so it’s taking it from good to great.

“The voters have very much said we want a positive future for the city.”

Hailed as a return to democracy, the newly elected council will replace the four-person commission that had been in place since February 2021.

The newly elected council will replace commissioners (from left) Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood, Anne Tolley and Shadrach Rolleston. Photo / Alisha Evans, SunLive

Former Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta sacked the council elected in 2019 for poor behaviour, infighting, leaks of confidential information and the inability to set rates at a realistic level.

“Let’s not go back there,” says Drysdale.

“My priority is we have democracy and if we can make that work, then there’s no need for them [commissioners].

“Our challenge going forward is we’ve got to... start engaging more with the community, so we’re making sure we are delivering what they want.”

The election was hotly contested with 75 people competing for 10 seats at the council table. The team of 10 will have a four-year term, a first for New Zealand.

Only two of the nine councillors have served as councillors before. Pāpāmoa ward councillor Steve Morris was part of the 2019 council and Arataki ward councillor Rick Curach will serve his seventh term as a councillor after missing out in 2019.

The other ward councillors sitting around the table are Jen Scoular – Mauao/Mount Maunganui, Glen Crowther – Matua-Otūmoetai, Rod Taylor – Te Papa, Kevin Schuler – Bethlehem, Marten Rozeboom – Tauriko, Hautapu Baker – Welcome Bay, and Mikaere Sydney in the new Māori ward, Te Awanui.

Drysdale plans to meet with each of them individually to discuss their priorities and what skills they bring to the table.

Asked if he was concerned that only two of the team had been on council before, he responded: “It doesn’t bother me at all.”

Mahe Drysdale is the new Tauranga Mayor. Photo / Alisha Evans

“I just want successful people around the table that know how to get stuff done. That’s much more important to me than having experience.

“We are a team and it’s about using everyone’s skills to deliver.

“I’m one of 10 votes around the table and we’ve got to do that together.”

The 45-year-old also wants to chat with his team about their priorities for New Zealand’s fifth-largest city.

Tauranga has a housing shortfall of 5500 that is projected to grow, New Zealand’s biggest port, traffic congestion, and the least affordable housing of any main centre.

Roading projects that needed addressing were Hewletts Rd and Totara Street, because it affected the whole city, and Turret Road in Welcome Bay, says Drysdale.

Hewletts Rd was “a real challenge” because it was a state highway and managed by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, and Totara St was a local road which was the council’s responsibility, he says.

“I’m aware that these things are going to take time.

“I don’t want to commit to specific projects. It’s more around let’s actually get out there and start delivering.”

Tauranga’s 2024-34 Long-Term Plan, adopted by the commission before their term ended, proposes $4.9 billion in spending. The spend includes more than $1b in transport infrastructure and a $574 million investment in community facilities, including a new $122m aquatic centre at Memorial Park and sports facilities.

From Olympic champion to city leader, Mahé Drysdale is excited to be Tauranga Mayor. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Drysdale says he wouldn’t “throw the plan out and start again” but plans change.

The council would re-look at it in 2027 and in the meantime look at the planned projects on a case-by-case basis, he says.

As a financial advisor at Forsyth Barr, Drysdale wants to ensure ratepayers’ money was spent wisely.

“The key thing for me is I think we can get better value for money for our spending.”

Walking the streets of Tauranga’s city centre the day after his win, Drysdale is congratulated by excited locals.

He stops for selfies with a pair walking their dog and chats to a retired couple, Ellen and Barry Tatton, who have lived in Tauranga for 60 years.

Ellen Tatton says she is very pleased Drysdale will be Tauranga’s new mayor.

“I liked his ideas of carrying on what the commission had done for us.”

Also pleased for Drysdale is the soon-to-be mayoress, Juliette, although it will mean “a big move for the family”.

“She will be uprooting from all her support networks, so it’s taken time,” he says.

“But she’s excited about the opportunity for me and she’s right in behind me.”

Juliette Drysdale is already looking at schools and houses for the family before their move at the end of the year.

In the meantime, Drysdale plans to stay with his Tauranga-based mother three or four days a week, so he isn’t commuting daily.

He is continuing the family’s legacy of service, as the grandson of Sir Robert (Bob) Owens, who was Tauranga Mayor from 1968 to 1977 and Mayor of Mount Maunganui borough from 1971 to 1974.

The final election results will be released on Thursday and the new council will be sworn in on August 2.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.