Rowing: Scottish trio storm through to World finals

IN a day of unprecedented success at the top level for Scottish rowing, all three of the Scottish women racing yesterday at the World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, qualified directly for the weekend's finals.

• Katherine Grainger, left, and Anna Watkins were in dominant form as they won their opening heat of double sculls Picture: Getty

The charge was led by three-times Olympic silver medallist and four-time world champion Katherine Grainger, who, along with her partner Anna Watkins, was imperious in winning her opening heat of double sculls, cruising across the line at a low rating but in a time significantly quicker than reigning world champions Poland, winners of the other heat. Grainger said: "As much fun as it was winning by that margin, there's no complacency in anything we do. We're still very aware we've got the world champions in the event, and we haven't ever raced them yet. I don't take on anyone who's a world champion lightly".

Making her debut at this level, Aberdeen's Kate Jones stroked Britain's adaptive four to victory in a time that was better than the previous world best. However, Canada won the other heat in this event in an even faster time.

Afterwards, Jones said: "I wouldn't say that was a comfortable race, but I definitely think we've got more speed about us. Given a bit more pressure we can definitely dig in a bit deeper."

Completing the Scottish hat-trick was Heather Stanning of Lossiemouth who, along with Helen Glover, finished second in her opener of coxless pairs behind New Zealand.

That was enough to put the pair into the final and Stanning, who had earlier targeted a place in the final as "plan A" said: "That was a really, really good first race. Now, plan 'A+' is to go for a medal, we've nothing to lose".

Altogether, six British crews have now qualified for the medal finals.

The new-look women's quadruple scull came through a baptism of fire to reach the final.

The British crew of Debbie Flood, Beth Rodford, Fran Houghton and Annie Vernon pipped their German rivals by a tenth of a second. Vernon said: "It was quite a race to the wire. The conditions got worse and worse and in those kind of conditions you don't really want to be involved in a scrap to the line, but we were and we responded in the right way."

With only the winners progressing straight through to Friday's final, it was an important victory for the crew, which was only put together just over a month ago after it was decided Grainger and Watkins would concentrate on the double. Houghton, who has been recovering from hip surgery, and Flood therefore returned to the boat in which they won silver at the Beijing Olympics.