There is added spice to this year's regatta at Lake Karapiro because a team from the Australian state of Victoria is also competing.
Waddell was a member of the eight that won narrowly from the North Island in a time of 6min 18.25sec on the first day of the regatta at Lake Karapiro. Victoria was a distant third.
McNicol was in the quadruple sculls that had a comfortable 10-second win over the North Island in a time of 6min 40.62sec.
Victoria was third in 7min 11.64sec.
Waddell continued his winning form yesterday in the coxed four that beat the North Island by 12 seconds in a time of 6min 47.04sec.
McNicol teamed with Grayson Knapp (Nelson) to win the double sculls by three seconds in a time of 7min 08.23sec.
The Dunedin schoolboys are expected to continue their winning ways today with Waddell back in the eight and McNicol in the quadruple sculls.
The Otago Boys' rowers, the only Otago rowers in the South Island team, won selection after winning a bronze medal in the boys under-17 double sculls at the Maadi Cup.
McNicol comes from Oamaru but enrolled at Otago Boys' this year to be coached by rowing guru Fred Strachan.
Zoe McBride (Kavanagh College) and Johannah Kearney (St Kevin's College) are attending trials for the New Zealand junior team at Lake Karapiro this weekend. Caitlin Kearney, a twin sister, was also invited to the trials but declined the invitation.
