At the national championships in Tauranga last year, Lauaki (52) blasted his way through the weight zones to set the highest total at the championships.
His total lift for the three disciplines was a remarkable 900kg which gave him 12 national records in the masters 1 (over 40), masters 2 (over 50) and open categories.
He had a squat of 350kg, bench press of 250kg and a deadlift of 300kg.
Lauaki will compete in the 120kg class with the other heavyweights at the Edgar Centre on Sunday afternoon.
There are 95 competitors in the three-day event which has attracted the best powerlifters in the country.
Otago and Southland lifters combine for this event and are known as the Southern team.
A key member of the Southern team is Invercargill-based Andy Mahon, who was ranked the best male lifter in the country last year. He will contest the 105kg class.
Another Invercargill-based lifter in the team is Brent McCormack in the 93kg class.
The other male Southern lifter of note is Balclutha farmer Bruce Park, who dominated the over 70 class last year and set a New Zealand record total of 397.5kg. He will be competing in the world masters championships in Texas in October.
The top women in the Southern team are Marie Soffe, Sylvia Clarkson and Southland's Sonia Manaena.
Manaena holds the world record in the deadlift in the open 84kg class. Clarkson competes in the under-63kg class.
Powerlifting
New Zealand champs
Where: Edgar Centre.
When: Today (women, from 4pm), tomorrow (men 59-74kg, from 10am, men 83-93kg, from 2pm) and Sunday (heavyweights from 11am).
