Mahe Drysdale isn't used to turning up to the world championships as underdog but he's doing his best to remind his rivals he's not done yet.
Drysdale last year lost the world title he's held since 2005 to Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic on his home course of Lake Karapiro but last night cruised into the semifinals of the world championships in Bled, Slovenia.
With the first three scullers in each quarter-final earning progression, there was little pressure on Drysdale but he took charge of his race from the outset and established a commanding lead early. He maintained a comfortable cushion over his rivals throughout and finished more than two seconds ahead of Lithuania's Mindaugas Griskonis in second.
Drysdale is learning to cope with a chronic back injury that has plagued him for the past 18 months and has scaled back his on-the-water training. It doesn't seem to be effecting his speed and the 32-year-old remains among the favourites for the world title.
Julitte Haigh and Rebeccas Scown, the defending champions in the women's pair, were dominant in winning passage to their final and Graham Oberlin-Brown and James Lassche qualified for the final of the men's lightweight pair.
