Rowing: Drysdale poles apart in Lucerne

Mahe Drysdale has sent a stark warning to those challenging him for his world championship rowing crown. Drysdale blitzed down the course in Poznan, Poland to win his first World Cup event. He finished in a time of 6m 39.12, beating nearest competitor, British off-season training partner Alan Campbell, by a length.

Campbell took it to Drysdale in the first 500 metres, going clear by over two seconds but Drysdale dragged that back as the race wore on, taking the lead by the 1500 metre mark and then stretching it to 2.7 seconds at the line.

Drysdale felt threatened early on but had to stay patient. "Alan really took it to me in the first 1000m - at the 700m mark, he was a couple of lengths clear but I know that the second 1000m is where my strength lies," he said.

"It was a relief when I saw his stern come back because then I knew I could catch him."

Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell put together a typically clinical campaign, taking out the women's double sculls for their sixth gold medal at World Cups. The twins were barely threatened in any of their three races, although silver medallists Australia came within three-quarters of a length in the final.

The pleasant surprise has been the bronze to the men's coxless four, so often the also-rans next to more illustrious team-mates. The crew of stroke Eric Murray, Selwyn Cleland, Carl Meyer and Hamish Bond finished third behind Great Britain and Slovenia. The Kiwis were six seconds behind the British, who are a crew yet to be beaten since forming at the start of 2005.

This was the first podium finish at a World Cup for a New Zealand coxless four since Rob Hellstrom, Toni Dunlop, Scott Brownlee and Dave Schaper came second at Lucerne in 2000.

Stroke Eric Murray was pleased to be on the dais but knows that they can give more.

"We rowed messily at times and, to be honest, were a bit brassed off but I suppose it's a good start to the tour."

However, it was a disappointing result for men's pair world champions, George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle. They were shunted into fifth, more than eight seconds behind winners Australia, composed of Olympic champion Drew Ginn and former singles sculler Duncan Free.

The campaign also hasn't been rosy for the world champion women's pair of Juliette Haigh and Nicky Coles, who missed out on the A final and finished only second in the B behind Denmark.

A cold-ridden Coles said they are dreading the aftermath of their efforts.

"We're sure [coach] Richard Tonks is going to thrash our pants off but we need that to get right for the next World Cup in Lucerne," said Coles.

The women's eight finished second in the B final. Andrew Alderson