Wairau's Duncan Grant, the reigning lightweight world rowing champion, reclaimed the national title with a fine victory in the men's lightweight single sculls final at Lake Ruataniwha near Twizel.
Racing for the Central Regional Performance Centre, Grant repelled a strong challenge from Graham Oberlin-Brown, of Te Awamutu, the under-23 lightweight world champion.
After a close start Grant started to assert himself and established a clear lead through 1000m.
Oberlin-Brown attacked over the closing 500m but Grant responded to stretch his advantage by the finish when his time of seven minutes four seconds left him 6sec ahead.
Third, and some way back, was Grant's Central RPC teammate Benjamin Norling.
Hamish Bond and Jade Uru, of Southern RPC, won the men's premier pairs final ahead of Waikato rivals Eric Murray and Simon Watson.
Bond and Uru had to withstand a strong challenge and it was only in the final 250m that they established a comfortable lead.
It was Uru's first red coat win while Bon retained the title he won last year paired with Carl Meyer.
