Big guns start in style

Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell romped to victory in their opening race at the Henley Royal Regatta.

Former crew-mate Sir Steve Redgrave put the world champion duo under starters orders and would have been pleased with the manner they raced away from their rivals.

Veteran opponents Ian Watson and Dave Riches, the latter a Henley winner 16 years ago, were never likely to give them much of a race and will be happy to say they matched the Olympic gold medallists for at least a handful of strokes.

But clear water between the crews was visible within the first 200 metres and the commanding victory, in time of 7.58, was awarded an official winning distance of ‘easily’.

Pinsent is seeking his fifth victory in the Silver Goblets, the regatta’s premier prize for coxless pairs, but will face much sterner tests in the next three days to achieve that goal.

The home favourite’s closest rivals should be the South African pairing of Ramon Di Clemente and Donovan Cech, who finished third behind the British duo at last year’s world championships in Lucerne.

They cruised to victory in their first round meeting with Edward Finlay and Nicholas Ablitt - another official verdict of ‘easily’ giving the perfect indication of their overwhelming win.

Elsewhere in the Goblets draw, former world champion sculler Peter Haining joined fellow lightweight veteran Martin Harris to defeat Tim Dorrell and Mark Partridge by one and a quarter lengths.

While British lightweight pair Ned Kittoe and Nick English, winners at the recent World Cup regatta in Belgium, also won through with ease against Upper Thames oarsmen David Bushnell and Eduardo Vazguez.

Hungarian world champions Akos Heller and Tibor Peto got their Double Sculls challenge off to a flying start against Dutch duo Koen van der Krooij and Erik Landman but the task ahead was underlined by a superb performance by the French pairing of Sebastien Vielledent and Adrien Hardy.

They pushed Heller and Peto all the way for gold in Lucerne 11 months ago and comfortably beat Australian pair Tom Edwards and David Crawshay.

Crawshay did enjoy some Henley success today though with a comfortable victory in his Diamond Sculls first heat.

Britain’s junior world champion Matt Langridge joins him in the second round along with Matthew Wells, Britain’s sculler at the Sydney Olympics, who easily beat Richard Shirley.