Both teams will play North Otago today before resuming their rivalry tomorrow.
In recent years Otago has often been within a point or two but Lakes, with its core of experienced national and international players, backed up by a steady infusion of new talent coached by Lan Bale and Mark Milburn, has maintained its grip on the Rennie Trophy.
The Otago team contains five school pupils, with several tertiary students having left the city, and the remaining players are not much older.
In the men, the successful John McGlashan South Island champion team provides three members in Paddy Ou, Carlos Reid and Mitchell Sizemore, with Otago indoor champion Ryan Eggers, from Balclutha, and former McGlashan pupil Oliver Reid completing the squad.
The women are led by Georgia Hume and Jessie Stevenson, with backup from tertiary student Annabelle Ecroyd and 14-year-old Abby Edwards, who is also from Balclutha.
Lakes men will have the services of former University of California No1 Ben McLauchlan, who is ranked seventh in the country and recently won his first pro doubles title.
Lakes can also call on former pro Perry Crockett, now coaching in Wanaka, as well as national junior representative Miki Nobuzawa, James Smith and well-performed veterans Mark Milburn and Chris Bradley.
Top woman for Lakes will be Emilia Price (14), a leading national age-group representative. She is backed up by veteran Li Ying Moroney, a former national representative in her homeland.
Others named are Tamsin Smith, Ines Stephani, Simone Hart and Karen Mitchell.
North Otago has named Robin Jamieson, brothers Josh and Nick Dalziel and Glen Claridge in the men and Otago Open champion Rebecca Dellaway, Nicky Wallace, Rebecca Ryan and Samara Dalziel in the women.
Otago B will meet South Canterbury A and North Otago B in Oamaru today and South Canterbury A and North Otago B play there tomorrow.
