The world and Olympic champions won in a stunning 3 min 13.76sec, lowering the world best time of 3:15.47 they set in the heats on Thursday (June 18).

The team of Grace Clough, Dan Brown, Pamela Relph, James Fox and cox Oliver James got off to a flying start and were ahead after just a few strokes.

With 300 metres gone they were a length ahead with Italy in second and from that moment on, they turned on the power and the pace.

“We knew we were on for a good time as we’ve had a good training camp and a great block of training,” said Relph.

“We wanted to challenge ourselves here in the heat and with conditions the way they were today we knew it was on to break it again today.”

James added: “At 500m we were on record pace, at 750m we were behind.

“It was great commitment from the guys.

“That was a much more aggressive row.”

Such was Britain’s dominance, the race was effectively one for the silver medal with Italy and France the top contenders.

Italy, coxed by the two-time Olympic gold medallist Giuseppe di Capua, were just ahead of France at the half-way point and held them off until the end.

France had to contend with Brazil, who produced an impressive second 500m to get within 0.21 seconds of a medal.

Meanwhile in the mixed double skulls final, Australia’s Gavin Bellis and Kathryn Ross gave heed to their world champion status by crossing the line in first having also qualified fastest from the heats.

Brazil's Claudia Santos and Michel Gomes Pessanha got a slight edge to take second, while France's Perle Bouge and Stephan Tardieu managed to fend off the challenge of Ukraine to finish third.

There was further success for Australia in the men’s singles skulls as world champion Erik Horrie finished ahead of Russia’s Alexey Chuvashev and Britain’s Tom Aggar, second and third place respectively.

As for the women’s equivalent event, Israel’s Moran Samuel came home first using a 37 stroke rate pace.

It bettered that of Norwegian world champion Birgit Skarstein, who took her rating to 40 strokes per minute to secure second.

Brazil’s Santos claimed the bronze medal after facing a strong test from Britain’s Rachel Morris.


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