Copeland, back in action after a year off with new partner in the boat Imogen Walsh, appeared to catch a boat-stopping crab just five metres away from the line as the British pair strained every sinew to take the third qualifying place from defending champions, Laura Milani and Elisabetta Sancassani.

The Italian pair, who had had to qualify through the repechage, prevailed as the British boat stalled.

Ahead of them, Canada's Lindsay Jennerich and Patricia Obee took first place after moving through the field in the closing stages and passing the longtime leaders Australia, comprising Alice McNamara and Ella Flecker, who are in their first season together.

South Africa's Kirsten McCann and Ursula Grobler took the other semi-final ahead of New Zealand and China.

Britain's Olympic champions in the women's pair, Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, qualified easily today for their World Championship final ©Getty Images

There was better fortune for two of Britain's other gold medallists from the London 2012 Games, Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, back in partnership after the latter's year of service with the British Army in Afghanistan.

By the first 500m mark Glover and Stanning had nearly a four second advantage and they were in the luxurious position of being able to look back on the field and row their own race.

The second semi-final was a much closer affair which was finally won by Megan Kalmoe and Kerry Simmonds of the United States, who held off New Zealand's Louise Trappitt and Rebecca Scown, with Australia taking the third qualifying place.

The British four of Alex Gregory, Moe Sbihi, George Nash and Andy Triggs Hodge has not lost a race since the crew came together at the European Championships earlier this season and today they won their semi-final with ease ahead of the United States and Canada, recording 5:52.62.

Australia, Greece and The Netherlands also qualified.

Graeme Thomas, Sam Townsend, Charles Cousins and Peter Lambert followed up with a win in the men's quadruple scull in an exciting finish which saw them pull ahead of Germany and Estonia.

Their win underlined a growing consistency this season for the GB Rowing Team crew that took Britain's first World Championships medal in this boat category of all-time only a year ago in Chungju, South Korea. 

Ukraine, the European champions, were winners of the other semi-final.

In the women's quadruple sculls, world champions Germany were impressive winners ahead of Australia and Canada, with China winning the other semi ahead of the United States and New Zealand.

Switzerland's defending champions in the lightweight men's pair, Simon Niepmann and Lucas Tramer of Switzerland, had to go through a repechage to get to their semi-final, but they used all their class and experience to defeat the French pairing of Augustin Mouterde and Thomas Baroukh, who took second place ahead of Australia.

Switzerland's defending champions in the lightweight men's pair, Simon Niepmann and Lucas Tramer, reached the final as winners after having to qualify through the repechage
©Getty Images

The British crew of Jonathan Clegg and Sam Scrimgeour won the other semi, narrowly, from Italy and the Czech Republic.

Switzerland's Michael Schmid edged out Germany's early leader Lars Hartig to win his semi-final in the lightweight men's single sculls, with Italy's Marcello Miani winning the first semi-final ahead of Ireland's Paul O'Donovan.

An inspired final sprint by Belgium's Eveline Peleman earned her victory in her semi-final of the lightweight women's single sculls ahead of Marie-Anne Frenken of Canada and Leonie Pless of Germany.

Kathleen Bertko of the United States, a former openweight rower of great experience, won the other semi-final ahead of Greece's Aikaterini Nikolaidou and Shuai Guo of China.

Last year Bertko raced the lightweight double but moved into the single in 2014 as she had to undergo an operation eight weeks before this regatta.

New Zealand's all-conquering men's pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond eased through to the final, recording the fastest time of the day as they pushed Britain's James Foad and Matt Langridge into second place in their semi-final.

Germany's Bastian Bechler and Anton Braun won the other semi.

Norway's defending champions in the lightweight men's double sculls, Kristoffer Brun and Are Strandli, did everything they knew to try and beat the French crew which set a world best time in the heats, Stany Delayre and Jeremie Azou, but without success.

They will have to try again in the final.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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