1 Sep 2015

NZ rowers make their mark at World Champs

8:54 am on 1 September 2015

The New Zealand womens double of Zoe Stevenson and Eve Macfarlane have won their heat at the World Rowing Championships in France to make the semi-finals.

Zoe Stevenson and Eve Macfarlane.
World Rowing Cup II 2015 Varese, Italy.

Zoe Stevenson and Eve Macfarlane. World Rowing Cup II 2015 Varese, Italy. Photo: Photosport

World cup winners Stevenson and MacFarlane scored a comfortable win to miss the next round and go straight into the semis, to be held later in the week.

The men's double of Robbie Manson and Chris Harris have made the quarter-finals after coming second in their heat.

They started well and led at the halfway point before being overtaken by France.

The men's lightweight four inched their bow in front by the halfway mark in their race and went on to dominate, securing a comfortable win and qualifying for the semi finals.

The women's eight came second to go straight into their final, while the men's eight will go to a repechage after finishing fourth in their heat.

The women's eight executed a well-timed race and moved from fourth early on to challenging the winning Canadian crew in the dying stages. Their second place ensures that they have booked their place in the A-final, with the chance to gain Olympic qualification by achieving a top five finish in the final.

The men's eight were in contention for most of their race, with Great Britain winning.

The women's quad were fourth and go to a repechage.