World champion rowers Juliette Haigh and Rebecca Scown have safely negotiated their way into the final of the women's pairs event at the Olympic Games, but were upstaged in their heat by Australia.
With two crews going through from each of the two heats on Saturday, Haigh and Scown were never really troubled on Dorney Lake in Buckinghamshire.
The Australian combination of Kate Hornsey and Sarah Tait won the race in an unofficial time of 7min 01sec, having made a fast start and leading throughout the 2000 metres.
Haigh and Scown took time to get going but was firmly ensconced in second spot before the halfway stage.
They finished about three lengths and more than five seconds behind the Australians, but well clear of third-placed China.
The other heat was won by the season's form crew of Britons Helen Glover and Heather Stanning in a time of 6min 57sec.
Glover and Stanning, who are striving to be the first women to win rowing gold for Britain, crossed just under a length ahead of Americans Sara Hendershot and Sarah Zelenka.
The women's quadruple sculls combination of Eve Macfarlane, Fiona Burke, Louise Trappitt and Sarah Gray will have to race in the repechage after finishing third in their heat.
Only heat winners Ukraine qualified directly for Wednesday's final with the three other crews to race again on Monday.
NZN