Grobler draws satisfaction from eight crew's Grand promise

Britain's chief men's coach Jürgen Grobler has been cautiously pleased with his crews' performance at Henley. Yesterday the coxless four beat the Canadians in the Stewards', a young eight harassed the mature Germans before losing to them by two-thirds of a length in the Grand, and the quadruple scullers lost to an experienced Polish crew by three quarters of a length.

The four's race fell apart when the Canadians, who had shown some pretty wild steering, hit the booms and stopped just after half-way.

They recovered quickly but the Brits increased their lead from one length to four at a stroke.

The eight pleased their coaches and the crowds along the bank with their storming performance, perhaps aided by the Germans' habit of wandering from their station. As for the quad, who have been taking a step back after each one forward, Grobler found their result frustrating. "I know the potential of this crew," he said. "The Poles controlled us. We need another breakthrough."

In the other eight-oared events, Cambridge University charged home to beat Leander in the Ladies' Plate, but there was a popular win for the regatta's home town when Henley RC won the Thames Cup, beating Lady Elizabeth of Ireland by a length. Thames rowed through the Durham University and Leander combination in the women's eights to win by a length and three quarters.

Trinity Hartford came out on top against Yale in the all-American final of the Temple. Eton beat St Joseph's Prep from Philadelphia by a length in the Princess Elizabeth.

America's Wyatt Allen had little trouble in the Diamond Sculls against Charlie Palmer of Cantabrigian and the Olympic medallist and former world champion Rumyana Neykova had an easy ride against Fiona Milne of Melbourne University in the women's singles.