She finished third in her repechage at the New Zealand rowing championships in a time of 8min 33.17sec to advance to tomorrows's final.
It was a busy day for Bruce who also reached the semifinals of the club single sculls when she easily won her repechage in 8min 42.57sec.
Jade Winter (Oamaru) was third in the same heat in 8min 55.79sec and also qualified for today's semifinals.
Bruce (17), a pupil at Mount Aspiring College, joined the Wanaka Rowing Club shortly after it was formed four years ago and is the only rower from the foundation year still rowing with the club. She decided to take up the sport because her father, physical education teacher Robert Bruce, and her grandfather, John Bruce, of Dunedin, were rowers.
Robert Bruce 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.
Saasha Bruce first reached the national spotlight when she won a silver medal in the girls under-18 single sculls at the Maadi Cup regatta at Lake Ruataniwha last season.
This performance earned her a national trial.
New Zealand representative Fiona Bourke (Otago University) won her repechage in 8min 08.90sec to reach the final of the premier women's single sculls.
Bourke (22), who comes from Takapau in Hawkes Bay, was a member of the New Zealand quadruple sculls crew that finished sixth in the final of the world championships at Lake Karapiro last year.
She is a member of the New Zealand elite training squad that has been training at Lake Karapiro since the end of November.
Lightweight sculler Lucy Strack (21), who is also a member of New Zealand's elite training squad, also advanced to the final of the premier women's single sculls when she won her repechage in a fast 7min 55.38sec.
The Wakatipu novice double sculls crew of Olivia Robbins and Kate Gilbert reached the semifinals when they won their repechage in 8min 05.86sec.
The Otago University club eight of Jamie Saunders.
Thomas Stott, Matt Smaill, William Hyndman, Peter McDowall, Trent Morris, Adam Garden, Matt McGovern and cox Aynsley Moore reached the final when they won their repechage in 6min 14.95sec.
The Wanaka novice coxed four of James Redai, Elliott Meldrum, Jarrod Wellman, Jamie Bowley and cox Bradley Jackson reached their final after finishing third in their repechage (7min 30.48sec).
The Otago team of Hannah Duggan and Zoe McBride reached the semifinals of the club double sculls after a second in their repechage (7min 53.05sec).
The University combination of Kim Scott and Loren Matthewson reached the semifinal in the same event when they finished third in 8min 09.67sec.
