Kim Crow (VIC) and Kerry Hore (TAS) have led an Australian charge into five A Finals on Day 4 of the 2010 World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand.

In cloudy conditions and rowing into a small head wind, Crow and Hore won their repechage of the women’s double scull before doubling up in the women’s quad scull with Sally Kehoe (QLD) and Brooke Pratley (NSW) to progress to that A Final.

In the women’s double scull, Crow and Hore led the entire race, setting a cracking pace that was some five seconds quicker than the opposite repechage.

They established a two length boat lead with 500m remaining, before easing across the line to win by three seconds in a time of 7:01.45.

With less than two hours in between racing, Crow and Hore then teamed with Kehoe and Pratley to secure an equally emphatic win in the women’s quad scull repechage. Australia won in a time of 6:41.69, a clear boat length ahead of New Zealand, and progressed to the A Final scheduled for Friday.

Crow said the extra races today benefitted both crews.

“We’re pretty wrapped to get through in both races today,” Crow said. “It was a good opportunity to work on a few things in the repechages and it worked in our favour to race today.

“It’s our first regatta together in both boat classes and every row we get improves our combinations.

“It was good to take control of both races early, especially as we didn’t have that long between races today.

“There’s a really good vibe around the team and seeing everyone do so well is really pleasing.”

The women’s pair of Phoebe Stanley (VIC) and Sarah Tait (VIC) won their repechage and advanced to the A Final after a superb second 1000m took them past Canada.

Giving the Canadians close to a three second lead with half the race remaining, Stanley and Tait surged past them to win by two seconds, recording a time of 7:35.74.

The women’s lightweight double scull combination of Alice McNamara (VIC) and Hannah Every-Hall (QLD) also booked their way through to the medal race after finishing second in semi-final 2 in a time of 7:44.02.

Racing from Lane 5, the winners of World Cup 3 earlier this year settled behind Canada for the entire race and were able to drop their stroke rate as they assured their progression with a quarter of the race remaining.

The men’s lightweight eight raced for lanes for the A Final on Sunday and gained a mental edge over Italy with a close fought victory. Italy and Australia – Perry Ward (WA), Ben Cureton (WA), Darryn Purcell (QLD), Nick Baker (TAS), Alister Foot (TAS), Tom Bertrand (VIC), Angus Tyers (VIC), Ross Brown (WA) and cox David Webster (VIC) – battled down the course before Australia finished better to win by less than half a boat in 5:53.25.

Nick Hudson (NSW) and Jared Bidwell (QLD) won their repechage of the men’s double scull with a commanding start-to-finish win. Hudson and Bidwell won by clear water in a time of 6:36.12 and will race in the semi-finals later this week.

The men’s four was the only Australian crew not to advance despite a superb effort in a tough repechage. John Linke (VIC), Fergus Pragnell (NSW), Bryn Coudraye (SA) and Joshua Booth (VIC) held second position with 500m remaining but were reeled in by France and finished third in 6:20.07 to miss out on progression to the A Final.

Rowing Australia