The Otago University coxless pair of Karley Wilden-Palms and Hannah Duggan blitzed the field in their heat to secure a spot in the final at the national championships at Lake Ruataniwha yesterday.
They will be joined by club members Maysie Scott and Natasha Bonham-Carter, who won their repechage, and the North End crew of Claudia Maker and Brieana Shea, who also made it out of their repechage.
Otago University's Haruna Sakakibara, who competed in the single sculls at the London Olympics for Japan, won her heat in the women's senior single sculls in a smart time of 8min 13.45sec and is safely through to the final.
The Dunstan Arm composite crew finished third in their repechage and are through to the semifinal of the women's club coxless quad sculls. They will be joined by the Otago University crew of Penelope Barnsdale, Hayley Kettings, Riley Homan and Sydney Telfer, who won their heat to gain direct entry into the semifinal.
Southern RPC's Corey Lewis advanced to the semifinal of the men's under-20 single scull with a second-place finish in his repechage, while Juliette Alm-Lequeux also finished second in her repechage and is into the final.
Bryce Abernethy also made it through to the final of the men's premier lightweight sculls. In the doubles, the Southern RPC crew of Andrew Potter and Cameron Crampton squeaked through the repechage in fourth place and will race in the final.
The Otago Rowing Club men's novice double sculls pairing of Patrick Larrivee and Josh Jukes secured a berth in the final with a second-place finish in their repechage, while the Oamaru Rowing Club men's club coxless four crew finished fourth in their heat and are through to the semifinals.
