Triggs-Hodge and Reed off to winning start at World Rowing Championships

 ANDY Triggs-Hodge and Peter Reed got their World Rowing Championships campaign off to the perfect start by comfortably winning their heat in Poznan.

WINNING START: Peter Reed and Andy Triggs-Hodge win their heat comfortably at the World Rowing Championships in Poznan - but New Zealand are lurking

The duo - who won Olympic gold in the four with Steve Williams and Tom James in Beijing - have endured a disappointing season, suffering three defeats at the hands of New Zealand pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond.

But Triggs-Hodge and Reed led throughout their opening race in Poland, finishing four seconds ahead of France in 6:35.96 minutes to progress to Thursday's semi-final.

"We're pleased with our performance and looking at everyone else's times we don't think that there's anyone here who is unbeatable," said Reed.  

If the British pair were comfortable in their heat, Murray and Bond were dominant in theirs, cruising across the line nine seconds ahead of South Africa in 6:31.29.

Meanwhile, single sculler Alan Campbell - who has collected World Cup gold and silver this season - continued his excellent form as the fastest qualifier, winning his heat ten seconds ahead of the Czech Republic's Olympic silver medallist Ondrej Synek.

And Matt Wells and Steve Rowbotham produced a stunning finish to come from behind and beat the Estonian double of Allar Raja and Kaspar Taimsoo by less than half a second.

The men's four of Alex Partridge, Richard Egington, Matt Langridge - all Beijing silver medallists in the eight - and Alex Gregory opened up a commanding lead in their heat to lead by five seconds at the halfway mark, before winning in 6:00.69.

But 22-year-old lightweight single sculler Adam Freeman-Pask faces a repechage after finishing second in his heat behind the Netherlands' Jaap Schouten.

Triple Olympic silver medallist Katherine Grainger - in her first World Championship outing in the single scull - and the women's pair of Olivia Whitlam and Louisa Reeve - sixth in Beijing - qualified in second in their heats.

While Anna Bebington and Annabel Vernon won their race in the double in 7:07.52, leaving Elaine Johnstone - who finished last in her lightweight single sculls heat - to face a repechage.

"We haven't raced for what felt like months but we knew that we were going fast in training - today felt pretty good," said Vernon.