National champion Robbie Manson will go head-to-head with Kiwi single sculls rival Mahe Drysdale, after claiming bragging rights on Day One of the World Cup rowing regatta in Austria.
Twice Olympic champion Drysdale, 39, faces a stern challenge from his younger opponent for the top sculling seat at September's world championships in Bulgaria.
So far, Manson, 28, has made every post a winner, clocking the world's fastest time (6m 30.740s) over 2000 metres last year and beating Drysdale at the national regatta in February.
He has maintained that dominance at Liz Ottensheim, recording the fastest time on the opening day (6m 50.900s) of racing and winning his quarterfinal for pole position in the semis.
Drysdale was almost nine seconds slower, winning his heat, but finished third in the quarter-final and must cope with an outside lane for the same semi as Manson on Day Two (Saturday, NZ time).
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