Buckingham and Huon filled the minor places as the Tamar girls showed the benefit of a strong focus on their campaign for the national championships in Perth next month.

However, Bucks held out Tamar in a close battle for the Leg 1state pennant title, claiming an unprecedented fifth in a row.

Over 600 competitors were involved in a busy 145-race program at Lake Barrington.

A close tussle between Scotch Oakburn College and Launceston Grammar in division 2 of the women's eight made a statement about the forthcoming school season with Scotch winning by less than half a length.

Tamar pair Ollie Lindsay and Sam Hall put early pennant points on the board by winning the under-23 pair by three lengths from Huon's Toby Pitt and Eric Rowan.

The senior single was a close race with Michael Egan (Uni) holding out Taylor Wilczynski (Mersey) and Sam Volker (Bucks) with less than a boat length between the three of them.

There was a boilover in the men's senior single when Max McQueeney (Bucks) led from start to finish winning by less than a length over Egan (Uni) and Wilczynski.

Stephanie Williams (Tamar) took advantage of Huon's Eleni Kalimnios being absent from the under-23 event, winning well from Huon scullers Georgia Nesbitt and Eve Mure.

Nightingale (Bucks) led for 1900 metres in the 2000m under-19 single, but was worn down by Mitchell Digney (St Patrick's) who won an exciting race by half a length with fast-finishing Lachlan McCarron (North Esk) third.

The Friends under-19 coxed quad scull crew won a close tussle with North Esk and Launceston Grammar and in under-17 single races Georgie Scott (Launceston Grammar) put in a dominant display to win by three lengths.

Attention now shifts to the state championships in two weeks followed by the nationals and Kings Cup regatta at Champion Lakes in Perth in the first week of March.