Australia's rowers have doubled their medal haul at the world championships, winning two silver as windy conditions continue to affect racing in Amsterdam.
The crew of Bronwyn Cox, Giorgia Patten, Jacqui Swick and Georgie Rowe claimed silver in the women's four while Erik Horrie also finished second in the PR1 men’s single sculls.
A new-look quadruple sculls crew was unlucky to miss the medals, placing fourth place from the most challenging lane in the wind that prevailed on the Bosbaan course.
The two medals on day six of racing followed a silver to Alex Hill and Angus Dawson in the men's pair while Ella Marshall and Sam Stunell rowed to a bronze medal in the PR3 mixed double sculls.
The women's four race quickly became a three-way battle between Australia, the defending world champion United States and Netherlands, who flew out from the start to take an early but narrow lead.
The third 500m was where the race changed, with the US crew taking charge.
All three crews bettered the world-best time set in 2014 at the same course.
Team USA broke the mark by almost five seconds (6:09.87), ahead of Australia (6:12.40) and the home crew (6:13.74).
Swick, Australia's three seat, said the race unfolded as expected.
“We predicted the Dutch would come out harder at the start to stay with us in the middle," she said
“Our focus was our race plan, that the second ‘K’ was our ‘K’, and so long as we had contact with everyone through the middle (of the race), we would be fine.
"The US had that better edge at the end of it but well deserved by them."
Horrie's silver completed a full set of world championship medals since he switched from wheelchair basketball to rowing in 2011.
Great Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard (8:50.46), the reigning Paralympic Games champion and defending world champion, won the medal race from Horrie (8:57.27) with Ukraine’s Romain Polyianski (9:01.38) in third.
“Being on the podium is unbelievable,” Horrie said.
“As an athlete, you always want to win. We don't go out there to be second, third, or whatever. We always go out there to win, and for one athlete that happens. Today it was Ben.”
The Rowsellas could add one more medal with Australia having also qualified for the men’s eight semi-finals on Sunday (local time).
Heats for the men’s and women’s eights were run as a time trial due to the lanes being deemed unfair by the competition's "fairness committee" due to weather conditions.
Australia’s time was the third fastest from the 12 of 13 boats that eventually qualified for the semi-final that will decide which crews make the A-final a few hours later.
