A strong Australian University rowing crew is expected to dominate the long-distance races on the Otago Harbour today.
The annual transtasman university test series starts this morning with four 5km races from St Leonards to the Otago University Rowing Club's Aquatic Centre.
The races start at 11am with the men's lightweight four, followed by the women's lightweight quadruple sculls, the men's eight and the women's eight.
New Zealand won the three-test series and the Transtasman Cup 7-5 when it was held in New Zealand two years ago.
The New Zealanders won the first and second tests on the traditional 2km course at Lake Hayes. But Australia had the last say and won the 5km races on the Otago Harbour to win the final test 3-1.
The second and third tests will be held at Lake Hayes on a traditional 2km course on Thursday and Saturday.
The Australians have sent a full squad with a men's and women's eight, a mens lightweight coxless four, and a women's lightweight quadruple sculls.
New Zealand retained the Transtasman Cup when the test series was held in Australia last year.
The timetable for today's races from St Leonards is: men's lightweight four (11am), women's lightweight quadruple sculls (11.25am); men's eight (11.50am), women's eight (12.25pm).
