The national schools regatta began on Monday at Lake Karapiro and moves to semifinals today.
Dunstan High School has had a predictably impressive beginning.
It showed its dominance early, particularly in the under-15 and under-16 girls grades.
Both its double sculls and coxed quadruple sculls crews in those grades cruised through by winning their heats.
Boys under-17 duo Will and Zac Healey had an equally powerful performance in the double sculls, while the under-15 girls octuple sculls will enter the A final as favourite.
Otago Boys' High School had a similarly strong start in its older crews.
The under-18 squad carried on its South Island championships form and won heats in both the double and quadruple sculls.
Among those was Ben Mason, who also won his single sculls heat.
In the under-17 grade, Peter Rowe won his single sculls quarterfinal and teamed with Jack Webber to win their heat in the double sculls.
John McGlashan College also shone in the older grades.
Angus Kenny and Will Edwards claimed the top two spots in their under-17 single sculls quarterfinal.
Edwards also combined with Will Turner to finish first in the double sculls quarterfinal.
In the under-18 grade, Nic Chamberlain has impressed.
He won his single sculls heat and progressed to the double sculls semifinal alongside Turner.
For St Hilda's Collegiate, Ella Fry and Sophie Sinclair took first in their heat of the under-18 girls double sculls, while Fry also advanced directly through in the single sculls.
Sophie Smith also had a strong outing in winning her heat in the under-16 girls single sculls and finished third in the double sculls alongside Millie Davenport.
Mount Aspiring's under-15 coxed quadruple sculls won its heat, while Cromwell College duo Jordyn Robinson and Holly Dalzell were prominent in both the under-17 and 18 double sculls.
Wakatipu High School's Oliver Herron was first in his under-16 single sculls heat and joined Oliver Bisley to win their doubles heat.
A grade up, Loic Billoud was second in his single sculls quarterfinal and first in the double heat with Charlie Campbell.
Bayfield High School and St Kevin's College both have strong medal chances in the girls single sculls. Eva Hofmans, of Bayfield, rowed the fastest time in the heats of the under-18 grade, while Hannah Cunningham (St Kevin's) won her heat in the under-17 grade.
