Rowing: Drysdale on course for fourth Henley title

Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale is on course for a fourth Henley regatta title. Photo / Getty Images.

Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale is on course for a fourth Henley regatta title.

Drysdale will battle Dutch sculler Roel Braas in the final of the Diamond Challenge Sculls on the Thames after a comfortable semifinal victory over Australian Nick Purnell.

Drysdale, a five-times world champion single sculler, beat Purnell by three lengths.

Braas was a member of the Dutch eight at the London Olympics and recently won the single scull event at the Holland Beker regatta.

Braas beat Britain's Alan Campbell in the other semifinal. Drysdale's other Henley titles were won in 2006, 2009 and 2010.

In his quarter-final at Henley, Drysdale easily beat former New Zealand team mate, and Athens Olympic bronze medallist, George Bridgewater.

Bridgewater, who has been out of top rowing for several years, is making an attempt to return to elite rowing for New Zealand with the Rio Olympics in 2016 a goal.