Vicky Thornley claims it is job done but knows that she and Katherine Grainger will need to step up their efforts if they are going to make a real impact at the World Rowing Championships.
It was a solid day for the Brits in Aiguebelette as the team picked up eight quarter-final and repechage wins out of ten.
In the double scull, Grainger and Thornley came through their repechage in top spot to qualify for the semi-final in a time of 7:00.59 minutes.
“We did exactly what we needed to do”, said Thornley. “Looking at everyone’s times it’s all going to be very tight so we need to push on in the semis.”
In the men’s open pair James Foad and Matt Langridge took victory in the quarter-finals as they pulled away from Italian duo Niccolo Mornati and Vincenzo Capelli to take the win in 6:28.88.
“We’re pleased with that. We went into it with a bit more fire in our bellies,” said Foad. “We moved away in the third 500m and that felt good.”
Elsewhere, the GB women’s eight came through their repechage to qualify for Sunday’s final but there was disappointment for the women’s quadruple scull of Frances Houghton, Jess Leyden, Tina Stiller and Melanie Wilson who finished third in their repechage.
But there was plenty more to cheer for Britain as Jamie Kirkwood made progress as did the lightweight men’s quadruple scull team of Jamie Copus, Steven Parsonage, Sam Mottram and Zak Lee-Green.
And GB Rowing performance director David Tanner believes the day was an important one for the team.
“We have had a very good morning, no doubt about that,” said Tanner. “The racing here has been absolutely brutal but it’s given us the opportunity to step on as we head to the semi-finals with a chance to add to the final spots already won by our men’s and women’s eights in the Olympic categories.”
© Sportsbeat 2015