Bulli leads their division after winning the opening leg of the competition, from Batemans Bay to Moruya, on Sunday.

Moruya/Canberra Vikings took second spot and Henly finished third.

Bulli rower Chad Carruthers said it was critical to start the marathon with a victory because it helped set up your race plan.

"It can make or break your race to be honest with you," he said.

"It just depends on whether you're getting a clean run or you've got to cut through traffic. Not only just for when you're rowing, but also for the changes. They're very critical on how the changes happen.

"If you're out in front, you can take your changes whenever you want because you haven't got any traffic in front of you. But if you're in the middle of the bunch, or behind the bunch, it's much harder technically and tactically to get your changes to happen at the right time. You're generally unable to, so you're not rowing to how you're prepared to row. You are rowing longer or shorter distances not what you were going out to do. It doesn't necessarily go with your race plan."

Conditions were calm but smoke haze lingered when rowers, sweeps, paddlers and a crowd of supporters gathered at Corrigans Beach, Batemans Bay on Sunday morning.

Carruthers said the weather remained ideal for racing during the opening leg.

"Conditions were really good for all crews. It wasn't too hot, it wasn't too windy - it was favourable for everyone I think," he said.

"It was pretty tight off the start line as you could imagine, everyone was giving their best. After a couple of kilometres, we got the lead, built on that and had a fairly convincing win. The other crews rowed well, there's no doubt about that. We didn't really know what our competition was going to be like. There were some really strong crews here.

"It was really good to get that first one out of the way, see where everyone's at and take a lot of confidence into tomorrow."

Torquay has taken the lead in the open women's division. The crew secured victory from North Cronulla and Broulee on Sunday.

Tathra emerged victorious in the veteran women's class, with Moruya/Canberra Vikings finishing second and Pambula third.

In the veteran men's, Wanda secured victory from Bulli and Tathra while North Cronulla won the super veteran leg from Grange and Long Reef.

In the ski results, Bulli's Lachlan O'Grady won the men's spec ski leg from Austinmer's Jack Patison and Craig Vipond (Mooloolaba).

North Bondi's Stewart O'Reagan won the male ocean ski leg from Noosa's Novak Thompson and Bondi's William Hardman.

Pambula athlete Kym O'Halloran won the female spec ski leg while Bermagui's Ruth Burgess finished second and Dee McWhirter (Mona Vale) came third.