Eric Murray and Tyson Williams' semifinal win yesterday in the men's pair at the New Zealand rowing championships has spiced up today's final.
Hamish Bond and Jade Uru, going for a fourth straight title together (and Bond's fifth) had a close race against other squad combinations in pairs and despite being pushed a lot harder in their race than Murray and Williams clocked a time five seconds slower.
Murray and Bond's places in the NZ pair are safe, but the BankLink New Zealand Championships offer a unique chance for them to get one over the other and secure serious bragging rights as well as a national title.
Also facing off against each other today will be Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan - the pacesetters for the past two years internationally in the double scull. Cohen races with old crew mate Matt Trott and Sullivan with Robbie Manson in a revival of two crews that themselves have national and world titles between them.
Premier women are also in action, including world champions Rebecca Scown and Juliette Haigh representing their respective regions, as well as Fi Paterson and Anna Reymer, world bronze medallists in the double.
