Bruce advanced to today's semifinals after winning her heat of the under-17 girls' singles sculls in 9min 29.60sec in the rough water conditions.
She is the daughter of Robert Bruce, who was a talented single sculler with the North End club and is now a prominent yachtsman.
The link to the past goes further because she is coached jointly by her father and former North End Club stalwart Dave Varney.
Grace Scown (St Hilda's) was third in her heat in 9min 59.30sec and also advanced to the semifinals.
Bruce and Scown have fought it out at the South Island club championships all summer and will have another head-to-head race if they both advance to the final.
The Mount Aspiring boys' under-18 novice coxed four of Greg Redai, Rob Saunders, Finlay Meldrum, Matthew Jackson and Maddi Kirk (cox) won their heat in 8min 03.86sec to reach the A final tomorrow.
The Dunstan girls' under-16 double sculls of Caitlin Lowe and Leah Morait won their heat in 8min 55.15sec to progress to the semifinals.
The Kearney sisters - Jo and Caitlan - from St Kevin's also won their heat in 8min 33.77sec and will join Dunstan in the semifinals.
The Cromwell College boys' under-16 coxed quadruple crew of Jarod MacLachlan, Ethan Edmunds-Scott, Bradley Thompson, Josh Drummond and Nick Drummond (cox) advanced to the semifinals after finishing second in a time of 7min 48.65sec.
The St Kevin's girls' under-16 coxed four of Bethany Robertson, Johannah Kearney, Caitlan Kearney, Georgia Tangney and Sophie Moynihan (cox) won their heat in 8min 14.01sec to reach the semifinal.
The Otago Boys' under-16 double sculls of Jacob Pairama and Matthew Mears placed third in 7min 47.36sec to reach the semifinals.
Racing started in heavy rain and then wind from all points of the compass caused delays for over two hours with only 71 of the scheduled 122 races completed in lively, challenging conditions on the first day of the regatta.
Officials called off racing for the day at 6pm on Monday and lost most of Tuesday to the ravages of the poor weather.
The weather was better yesterday and the rowers only had to contend with cold conditions. It was a catch up day.
Other Otago crews to reach the semifinals included:Otago Boys' under-16 double sculls (Jacob Pairama, Matthew Mears); Otago Boys' under-17 coxed four (Lachlan Landels, Brodie Hume, Cooper Gilmour, Kenneth McLellan, and Aaron Woodhead (cox).
A total of 114 schools are taking part in the Maadi Cup at Twizel, including Newcastle Grammar and Melbourne Girls' College from Australia. The 1881 competitors make up 1355 crews, with girls still slightly out-numbering the boys.
