Defending champion Lucy Strack (North End) gained a confidence boost when she gained the fastest heat time in her specialist event at the New Zealand championships on Lake Ruataniwha yesterday.
Strack (21), who won a silver medal in the double sculls at the world under-23 championships in Belarus last year, raced superbly to win her champions lightweight single sculls heat in 8min 02.18sec.
She was 21.01sec ahead of the Waikato Regional Performance Centre sculler who finished second.
Strack gained gained fastest time over the three heats in the event and will advance to the semifinals tomorrow. She was comfortably ahead of her world championship pairs partner Julia Edward and Julia Ayling who won a silver medal in the event at the world championships on Lake Karapiro last year.
"It has given me a huge boost of confidence," Strack said. "The hard training is paying off."
It was a good day for Otago rowers with Elyse Fraser (Otago University) winning her heat in the women's senior single sculls and advancing to the final on Friday.
Her time of 8min 26.14sec was 6.47sec in front of her old rival, Sarah Barnes (Waihopai).
They joined forces in the double sculls and qualified for the final of that event as well.
The Otago University crew of Chelsea Oliver and Hannah Baddock also advanced to to the final when they won the novice double sculls heat in 8min 13.41sec. They were 13.26sec ahead of the Wakatipu combination of Olivia Robbins and Kate Gilbert.
Three men's novice double sculls crews from Otago University advanced to the semifinals - Bryce Abernethy and Jack O'Leary, Adam Harris and Edward Styles, and Willis Lynton and Greg Crooks. Jamie Bowley and James Redai (Wanaka) also qualified.
The Otago club crew of Hannah Duggan and Zoe McBride reached the final of the women's club double sculls.
The University combination of Matt McGovern and Matt Smaill reached the final of men's club double sculls and the combined Otago University and Wanaka novice men's eight also reached the final.
