Rowing: Kiwis through to six finals at Henley

New Zealand rowers will race in an unprecedented six finals at the Henley Royal Regatta in England after dominant performances overnight.

The women's quadruple scull, the men's double scullers Nathan Cohen and Matthew Trott, single sculler Mahe Drysdale, the men's lightweight four, men's pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray and single sculler Emma Twigg all made the finals after contrasting semifinals, Rowing New Zealand said.

The three toughest races were the men's pair, the women's quadruple sculls and the men's lighweight four.

The women's quadruple scull of Harriet Austin, Sarah Barnes, Louise Trappit and Genevieve Armstrong faced a tough semifinal against Sichuan Rowing Association.

The Chinese took the early initiative but the New Zealand crew, stroked by Austin, battled its way level and then to the lead to seal a place in the final against the British quad.

The British crew finished one place ahead of the New Zealand quad at the Munich World Cup. They beat the New Zealand `B' quad in the others semifinal.

The lightweight four of Richard Beaumont, Todd Petherick, Graham Oberlin-Brown and James Lassche took advantage of a steering error by the heavyweight Italian four to book a date with the British heavyweight four in the final.

Double scullers Eric Murray and Hamish Bond took on the top British boat of Andrew Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed and carved out a lead by half way.

The British were unable to respond and the New Zealanders romped home.

Mahe Drysdale posted a straight forward win over Belgian Tim Maeyens while his main rivals Alan Campbell and Olaf Tufte went head-to-head in the other semifinal. Campbell prevailed after a hard battle and will line up for a repeat of their 2007 final.

Nathan Cohen and Matthew Trott who proved too strong for Storm Uru and Peter Taylor in the double sculls face the Olympic bronze medallists Steve Rowbotham and Matthew Wells of Great Britain in the final.

- NZPA