Rowing: NZ have strong hand in World Cup finals

POZNAN, Poland - New Zealand's elite rowing squad have four boats going through to tomorrow's finals after day two at the second Rowing World Cup here.

In the men's single, Mahe Drysdale reached the final by winning his semi-final over last month's Rowing World Cup winner Alan Campbell from Great Britain.

Drysdale played a tactical game to head off Campbell at the line and will now meet former world champion Marcel Hacker, of Germany, in the final.

In the men's pairs Kiwis George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle proved too strong for their German opponents in their semi-final.

The Kiwis will now race against Australia's Olympic Champion Drew Ginn of Australia and new partner Duncan Free in the final.

The world champion women's pair of Nicky Coles and Juliette Haigh were not so lucky.

Despite putting up a good battle and an impressive closing sprint, Coles and Haigh missed out on qualifying in their semi-final.

Boxed out by two German entries and the Netherlands, Coles and Haigh will race in tomorrow's B-final.

Reigning World and Olympic champions Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell continued to dominate the women's doubles.

The duo finished first in their semi-final ahead of two Australian crews and will face winners of the first Rowing World Cup, Great Britain, in tomorrow's final.

New Zealand's new women's eight continued to find their competition legs.

Racing in today's repechage, the eight had to finish in the first two to advance to the final.

The team sat in third for most of the race but couldn't find the final sprint and missed out.

The eight will now return for tomorrow's B-final.

The men's four qualified directly for the final after winning their heat yesterday.

- NZPA