Beijing 2008 gold medallists Andrew Triggs Hodge, Tom James and Peter Reed, along with world champion Alex Gregory, won in 5min 37.86sec, taking almost four seconds off the previous mark of 5:41.35 set by Germany at the 2002 World Championships.

They will race a semi-final tomorrow.

Tom James said the quartet did not set out to take the record: "We set out to win our heat and we didn't want to hide away from hard work, even in a heat, if it gave us speed.

"The world best time is nice but we're here to beat people and to put in that kind of performance consistently".

Australia also looked fast in winning the opposing heat.

Earlier World Champions Anna Watkins and Katherine Grainger cruised through their women's double scull heat to reach Sunday's final.


Watkins said: "It was a really enjoyable race.

"We felt really in control and it's great to have strong opposition to race."

Olympic champions Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter (both pictured above) appeared to be pacing themselves when they finished second in their heat.

Elsewhere there were good wins for the women's pair of Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, the men's single and two lightweight single scullers and qualifying performances from the second women's pair and both men's pairs, but disappointment for the men's eight – who were third behind Canada and Poland – and the two open quads who will now race repechages.

"We've seen the high standard here that we expected and we have had a strong morning but not everything has gone our way.

"There is plenty to play for in tomorrow's semis," said GB Rowing team performance director David Tanner.

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