University of Otago is expected to continue its domination when the New Zealand university rowing championships are held at Lake Karapiro this weekend.
Otago has won the event every year this century and no other university is expected to challenge its supremacy.
The two prestige events are the men's and women's eights over a 3.2km course.
Otago has won the women's Tamaki Cup eight times this century and will be attempting to win its fifth consecutive title.
The eight will be anchored by long-time student rower Sarah Lindley, who is leading the women's squad.
She was part of the Southern RPC squad this summer and won the University club's first red coat at the New Zealand g championships at Lake Ruataniwha.
The women's eight is Jenny Storey, Bea Heaphy-Hall, Lindley, Elyse Fraser, Kirsty Thompson, Hayley Jenkins, Laura Tester, Lisa Owen and cox Aynsley Moore.
Storey and Heaphy-Hall were in the New Zealand world championship team at Lake Karapiro in November. They were also in the New Zealand four that won a gold medal at the world junior championships last year.
Lindley and Heaphy-Hall will be hard to beat in the double sculls. They will be challenged by the second Otago crew of Storey and Elyse Fraser.
Otago will be attempting to regain the Hebberley Shield in the men's eight that it lost to Canterbury University last year.
It will be made easier because Canterbury is not competing this year because of the Christchurch earthquake.
The shield was first contested in 1928, when it was won by Victoria University. Otago first won the shield in 1939.
Otago has entered two crews in this year's event. The No 2 men's eight has been competitive and has challenged the top Otago crew in training.
The championships will double as a selection event for the New Zealand Universities team that will contest the transtasman series in Adelaide in July.
