British quartet in ominous form in Amsterdam

Great Britain Men's Four team

The quartet of Andrew Triggs Hodge, Alex Gregory, George Nash and Mo Sbihi have won every race since teaming up for the European Championship earlier this season.

And on the evidence of their semi-final display in Amsterdam on Thursday they will take some beating, having built on a blistering start to progress to the final by clocking the fastest qualifying time of five minutes, 52.620 seconds.

The United States did their best to keep up with the leaders and secured second spot to seal their place in the showdown, with Canada also progressing.

Australia won the first semi-final, which was far more dramatic as Greece battled their way through in second spot and Netherlands edged out Serbia by only 0.28secs to qualify - much to the delight of the home crowd.

World champions Simon Niepmann and Lucas Tramer had to come through a repechage to reach the semi-finals of the Lightweight Men's Pair and they appear to have got things together after moving into the final on Thursday.

French pair Augustin Mouterde and Thomas Baroukh set the early pace, but Swiss duo Niepmann and Tramer were prepared to bide their time and never relinquished the lead after hitting the front.

France and Australia also reached the final, with Great Britain, Italy and the Czech Republic progressing from the second semi-final.

Italy's Marcello Miani set the fastest time en route to the Lightweight Men's Single Sculls final, winning his hard-fought semi-final ahead of Paul O'Donovan of Ireland and Australian Perry Ward - who produced a late burst to take third place.

World Rowing Cup winner Michael Schmid is also through after winning his semi-final ahead of Lars Hartig of Germany and Portugal's Pedro Fraga.

Olympic champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning eased into the final of the Women's Pair in ominous fashion.

The British duo, who took a year off in 2013, were comfortable winners in their semi-final, with Romania's Cristina Grigoras and Laura Oprea qualifying in second place and South African pair Naydene Smith and Lee-Ann Persse taking third to reach the final - which will also include the United States, New Zealand and Australia.

Eveline Peleman of Belgium set the pace in the Lightweight Women's Single Sculls to ensure she will take the middle lane for the final, which will also be contested by Canada, Germany, the United States, Greece and China.

The Lightweight Women's Double Sculls final will see Canada, Australia, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand and China battle it out for medals, while China, the United States, New Zealand, Germany, Australia and Canada are through to the Women's Quadruple Sculls final.

Germany, Spain, Russia, New Zealand, Great Britain and the United States will contest the Men's Pair final, while France, Norway, South Africa, Italy, Germany and Netherlands will compete for the medals in the Lightweight Men's Doubles.

The Men's Quadruple Sculls final will comprise of Great Britain, Germany, Estonia, Ukraine, China and Switzerland.

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