Alm and O'Leary demonstrated this at the Canterbury championships on Lake Ruataniwha at the weekend when they finished second in their heat of the open double sculls in a fast 6min 56.17sec.
They later cruised through their heat of the club double sculls in a winning time of 8min 5.55sec.
They were poised for a major breakthrough in the finals but the strong westerly winds intervened and most of the Sunday races had to be cancelled.
O'Leary (17) is poised for a big year after winning a silver medal in the quadruple sculls at the junior world championships last year.
Alm (22), an education student at Brock University, Canada, is on a one-year exchange at the University of Otago.
He was unbeaten in under-23 events in Canada last year in his first year in the single sculls.
In 2012, he was the Canadian university gold medallist in the heavyweight pair, and last year won his sixth gold medal at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.
Alm finished second in his heat of the open single sculls in the Canterbury championships in 7min 33.78sec and O'Leary was fourth in his heat in 7min 23.10sec.
Otago is the top sculling club in the South Island and coach John Parnell's pupils also impressed in the women's heats.
Emma Winders was second in the open women's single sculls heat in 8min 46.43sec and won the club division heat in 8min 26.18sec.
Anna O'Leary won her heat in the club event in 8min 52.28sec and was fourth in the open women's event in 8min 46.74sec.
Tom Grave won his heat in the boys under-16 event in 7min 10.09sec.
North End scullers Karley Wilden-Palms and Georgia de Raad won their heat of the women's under-17 double sculls in 8min 5.14sec and the club double in 8min 20.97sec.
The North End club is noted for its skills in the sweep oar events and it did not disappoint. The Claudia Maker-stroked girls under-16 four won its heat in 7min 23sec, North End won the boys under-16 four stroked by Liam Guthrie in 7min 10.98sec, and the Nick Henderson-stroked novice four won its heat.
Nicola Shanks and Caitlin Buist (Otago University) won their heat of the club double sculls in 8min 5.15sec and Shanks was second in the club single sculls in 8min 37.60sec.
Maadi Cup champion Riley Bruce (Wanaka) was first in the club single sculls and teamed with Nathan Redai to finish second in the under-17 double sculls.
Maadi Cup bronze medallists Ella Galletly and Lucy Geddes (Dunstan) won their heat of the women's under-17 double sculls and were part of the club under-16 quadruple sculls that won the girls under-16 quadruple sculls in 7min 37sec. The crew also won the women's under-18 quadruple sculls in 7min 46sec.
Julia Driehuis stroked the other Dunstan girls under-16 crew that won its heat in 8min 8sec.
Riley Homan stroked the Queen's High School crew that was second in the same event. Homan finished third in the club single sculls.
