As the team heads off to Austria this week for gruelling altitude training, this deficiency out of the blocks is one that will have to be remedied quickly.
Jürgen Grobler, the British men’s head coach, will not be unduly concerned. After all, a trio of serene World Cup victories
for the four, who won convincingly at this year’s instalments in Belgrade and Lucerne, could have risked the onset of complacency.
They could yet reassert their advantage in the final this afternoon, but the one final that truly matters in London already looks too close to call.
“It’s a bit of a kick up the backside,” Gregory acknowledged. “I’m not happy with the race, but it gives us extra motivation.”
James denied that the crew had been seeking to retain their energy yesterday. “I think you go out trying to make a statement even in the semi-final,” said the 28 year-old, who with Reed and Triggs Hodge won gold in the same category in Beijing in 2008. “Australia took their opportunity — we have to make sure that we go back and look at a few things. It’s not panic stations. We did a lot of the basics right.”
Asked if Britain had missed a chance to intimidate Australia in Munich, the last international regatta before the Olympics, James had to restrain himself. He was on his warm-down walk and wary of divulging tactics to the four’s main opposition, who had just jogged past. “We have laid down a lot of markers already,” he insisted. “If we win the final here, then we are in a very good position.”
The British squad are involved in 12 finals today, in what promises to be the most telling gauge yet of their readiness for the Games.
Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, who contest the first ‘A’ final, are the clear favourites in the women’s pair, while Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins should also contribute a third consecutive triumph in the double sculls.
Mark Hunter and Zac Purchase, the fourth of Britain’s leading gold-medal hopes for London, sustained their renaissance in the lightweight men’s double after a slump in form by beating the Italian duo, both former world champions, into third in a formidable semi-final performance.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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