Australia has won two more medals on Day 6 of the 2010 World Rowing Championships, picking up a silver and bronze medal at Lake Karapiro in New Zealand.

In rough cross-head wind conditions on the North Island, the women’s four won a silver medal in their non-Olympic event while the men’s quad scull claimed bronze in a high class field.

Stroked by Australian men’s team captain Daniel Noonan (NSW), the crew also consisting of James McRae (SA), David Crawshay (VIC) and Karsten Forsterling (VIC) came home strongly to win the bronze medal.

Gold medal favourites Croatia took the gold medal ahead of Italy, while Australia was a boat length back in a time of 6:18.93. The bronze medal comes off the back of a silver medal in 2009 and sets up a good platform for the crew to build on ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

“It was very tricky conditions today but at the end we’re just really happy to get a medal,” Noonan said.

“It was one of those races where you were just hanging on and making sure that you limited the mistakes in the tricky water.

“Australian sculling is really coming along the last few years and this year proves that we’re heading in the right direction.”

The women’s four of Kate Hornsey (TAS), Pauline Frasca (VIC), Sarah Cook (ACT) and Sarah Heard (VIC) added to the medal tally with silver in a tough battle against the Netherlands.

Netherlands, the defending world champions, had too much for the Australian crew over the second 1000m to cross the line a boat length clear of Australia, who recorded a time of 7:23.99.

The four-crew field had to contend with choppy water that was making the blade work very difficult and the silver medal was a strong result for the crew consisting all of Beijing Olympians.

The women’s quad scull of Sally Kehoe (QLD), Kim Crow (VIC), Brooke Pratley (NSW) and Kerry Hore (TAS) finished in 4th place in their A Final, an effort that was matched by Hannah Every-Hall (QLD) and Alice McNamara (VIC) in the A Final of the lightweight women’s double scull.

Both crews struggled for rhythm in the choppy conditions but can be proud of their performances.

Earlier in the afternoon Australia qualified its 12th crew for an A Final when Jared Bidwell (QLD) and Nick Hudson (NSW) finished second in semi-final 1 of the men’s double scull.

Bidwell and Hudson finished second behind New Zealand in a time of 6:46.73, while France claimed third to also qualify.

Australia’s men’s four of John Linke (VIC), Fergus Pragnell (NSW), Bryn Coudraye (SA) and Joshua Booth (VIC) wrapped up their regatta with a win in the B Final.

Rowing Australia