Dunstan Arm Rowing Club captain Simon Smith said the club was looking forward to the challenge of the Central Otago Rowing Champs held on Lake Dunstan.
Rowers from Otago and Southland will be taking part in the regatta which is a warm-up event for school athletes and novice rowers before the first major event in Twizel.
Smith said the heats were extremely competitive between the clubs as they competed for the trophy.
However, competition was not just between clubs.
Within the 109-rower strong Dunstan team, the racing should be as competitive as the training, he said.
The Dead Rabbit Cup has been held by the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club for a decade after it was first held in Southland in the 1990s.
Spectators would be able to walk along the lake on the Dunstan Trail where they would be able to see all the athletes doing their thing, Smith said.
He said it looked like it would be a good weekend of competition, but he hoped the weather gods were kind to organisers and competitors and there would be no wind.
Racing starts at 8am on Saturday with the finish line near the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club clubrooms.
