Kiwi sculler Emma Twigg has signalled her Olympic intentions with a comprehensive heat win at the first major rowing regatta of the season on Lake Karapiro.
Twigg is back in Rowing New Zealand's elite training squad after a year off studying in Europe and looked sharp in winning her premier single sculls heat at the Christmas Regatta on Saturday.
The 2014 world champion paced herself well to clock 8min 50.34sec, beating world champion lightweight sculler Zoe McBride by nearly six seconds.
Twigg is working towards a top-three finish at the "last chance" regatta in Lucerne next May to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
Zoe Stevenson, half of New Zealand's world champion double sculls pair, won the first single sculls heat in 8:47.78, four seconds ahead of fellow New Zealand rep Julia Edward.
Canadian rower Carling Zeeman took heat two in 8:41.84, ahead of double sculler Eve Macfarlane's 8:44.94.
Five times world champion Mahe Drysdale topped the heat times in the men's premier sculls, clocking 8:00.95 as he builds towards defending his Olympic crown at Rio next year.
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