The New Zealand University men's eight turned the tables on Australia when it came from behind to win the feature race on Lake Hayes yesterday.
The win virtually clinched the transtasman series for New Zealand when the second test was won 3-1. New Zealand leads the series 6-2, with four 5km races to be held on Otago Harbour tomorrow morning.
The Australian eight went out hard at the start and held the early advantage. But the New Zealand crew of Mark O'Connor, Alistair Bond, Todd Hale, James Harvey, Justin Evans, Matthew Glenn, Richard Harrison, Bill Meates and cox Mike Dessoulavy pushed past Australia at halfway and held a narrow lead at 1500m.
Australia then put on a spurt and it was neck and neck 250m from the finish. The New Zealand crew edged in front in the last 100m to win by a second.
Australia also started quickly in the women's eight and held a half boat-length lead at the 1000m and looked to be in control of the race.
But the New Zealand crew of Kirstie James, Sarah Lindley, Sara Smith, Kirsty Thompson, Elicia Milne, Annabel Rowlands, Lydia Dockrill, Julia Watherston and Isabel McLernon (cox) took control with a massive push and held a length lead at 1500m. It extended the margin to 1.5 lengths at the finish.
It was a one-horse race when the New Zealand women's lightweight quadruple sculls crew of Amanda Thompson, Penny Farrell, Hayley Jenkins and Leigh Johnstone took the lead from the start and was never challenged. They won by 15.6sec.
Australia's only win came in the men's lightweight four when it took charge from 1000m and won by 5.6sec. The New Zealand four of Andrew Annear, Andrew O'Connor, Armin Svoboda and James Robins led early but faded badly over the last 1000m.
