Rowing: NZ crews take first strokes in 2012

New Zealand's international rowing season got underway at the first world cup regatta in Belgrade overnight. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand's international rowing season got underway at the first world cup regatta in Belgrade overnight, with mixed results in the absence of the country's world champion crews.

The lightweight four - featuring James Lassche, Graham Oberlin-Brown, Curtis Rapley and Duncan Grant - made a strong start in their first international race together before fading to finish fourth.

The crew held on to second place early on in a competitive field containing former world champions Great Britain and many crews and boats already qualified for London. But they were slowed dramatically during the latter stages of the race by wash from a following launch, and settled for fourth place and a spot in the repechage.

"We had a good first 1000m and were right up with qualified crews from Great Britain and China," Grant, a three-time world champion in the single scull, said. "[But] we were hit by considerable motorboat wash between the 750-250m to go, and we know we still have some more to give."

The fourth place and trip to the repechages did not perturb Grant, however, especially considering the strength of competition and the fact it was their first international race in the lightweight fours. A positive result over the weekend will represent good progress for the Dave Thompson-coached crew.

"As a crew we are happy with our first result, even though on paper it might not look so," he said. "With only first going through to the A-final, we have to race in the rep. It's not so bad - another race will be good for us."

The heavyweight men's four of Sean O'Neill, Chris Harris, Jade Uru and Tyson Williams - already qualified for the Olympics - finished fourth in its heat after a troubled build up with injury worries in the final week. They, too, head to the repecharge where third place guarantees them a semifinal row.

The men's eight, making a late run at Olympic qualification, were third in a heat of three that included one of the Olympic gold medal favourites, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Despite the result, which puts them into the repechage where one boat from five will be eliminated, the crew's time of 5 minutes and 35 seconds was much closer to the overall pace than they have been in recent races. The Germans were just a length or so ahead, with the Netherlands just over a second up.