Rowing: Drysdale through first round at World Cup

New Zealand rower Mahe Drysdale showed his fine form when he cruised through the first round of the men's singles sculls in the Polan round of the World Cup in Poznan last night (NZT).

The world champion completed the 2000m trip in six minutes 54.07 seconds beating Austria's Christof Ul second (7min 01.33sec) by over seven seconds. Hungary's Gabor Bencsik was third in 7min 03.07sec.

World champions Nicky Coles and Juliet Haigh were a well-beaten second in the third heat of the women's coxless pairs.

Coles and Haigh (7min 17.43sec) were over two seconds adrift of the Australian combination of Kim Crow and Sarah Cook who clocked clocked 7min 15.19sec.

Third were Yan Yang and Meng Li of China who timed 7min 25.13sec.

In the men's coxless pair, world champions George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle were untroubled, winning their heat in a time of 6min 37.07sec.

Second were Germany in 6min 38.64, followed by Slovenia in 6min 41.80sec.

World and Olympic double scull champions Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell were in total control of their heat leaving Ukraine, Norway and two German teams to tussle over the minor placings in their wake.

The pair clocked a comfortable 6min 55.37sec to make the final followed by Ukraine in 6min 58.48 and Norway in 7min 04.40sec

- NZPA