Otago rowing could be at the beginning of a golden era if the selection of 12 competitors from the province in New Zealand crews is any indication.
It starts at the top, with Hamish Bond winning four world titles from 2007 and an Olympic gold medal in London last year.
Four Otago rowers are in elite crews for this year's world cup regattas and the world championships: Bond, Fergus Fauvel, Fiona Bourke and Lucy Strack.
There is a growing legacy developing from these elite rowers who are based at Rowing New Zealand's high performance venue at Lake Karapiro.
The good news is they have retained their Otago connections. All are registered with Otago clubs and compete in their colours at the national championships.
''It's easy for others to aspire to do the same thing,'' Otago Rowing Association manager Sonya Walker said.
''We have had great role models who have gone before. They did it in Otago and those coming after them can do the same.''
The affinity between the elite rowers and those attempting to follow in their footsteps was illustrated at the Otago Sports Awards last week, when Bond, who won the overall honour, mentioned how proud he was of the performances of rising star Zoe McBride.
Bond is competing in the pair with Eric Murray and will contest two world cups and the Henley regatta before the August world championships in Korea.
Fauvel is in the men's quadruple sculls and will have a similar schedule to Bond. Bourke is in the women's double sculls, with Zoe Stevenson (Tauranga), and Strack is in the lightweight double sculls, with Julia Edward (Rotorua). They will compete in Amsterdam and then join up with the men for the third world cup in Lucerne and for the world championships.
Alistair Bond, Hamish's brother, is training with the elite squad but is recovering from glandular fever and has not been selected in any crews.
Oamaru rower Johannah Kearney is in the New Zealand four that will compete at the under-23 world championships in Austria in July.
Lisa Owen is one of three members of the Otago University winter squad to earn selection in New Zealand crews. She will compete in the lightweight events at the world under-23 championships in Austria.
Two other winter members of the Otago University club have made the New Zealand under-21 crews to compete at the youth world cup in Australia. Andrew Potter is in the men's pair and Ruby Tew in the women's pair. Tew is the daughter of New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew.
Otago club sculler Bryce Abernethy will also compete in Australia in the men's lightweight double sculls.
Two of coach John Palmer's scullers, McBride and Jack O'Leary, will compete in the women's and men's quadruple sculls at the junior world championships in Lithuania in July.
Walker will manage the New Zealand women's elite crews in Amsterdam and Lucerne. It will be her fourth manager's job with New Zealand crews.
Promising younger rowers Emma Winders and Anna O'Leary were members of the South Island crews for the annual inter-island regatta against the North Island.
Walker highlighted other factors in Otago's success.
''There is great water. The Otago Harbour is fantastic to train on,'' she said.
''Otago has enthusiastic coaches and the rowers know how to work hard. I'm proud to have so many Otago rowers representing New Zealand. It's fantastic.''
NZ rowing
Otago representatives
Elite: Hamish Bond, Fergus Fauvel, Fiona Bourke, Lucy Strack, Alistair Bond.
Under-23: Johannah Kearney, Lisa Owen.
Under-21: Andrew Potter, Ruby Tew, Bryce Abernethy.
Junior: Zoe McBride, Jack O'Leary.
