Race by Race Report Group B Finals

Romania is the new champion in the men's eight and Australia in the women's in one of several thrilling results in Group B finals at the FISA World Rowing Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland today.

Full results details are available in the Race Tracker with more news, photos and reactions tonight and in the coming days.

The Rostee turned on the hottest day of the championships, as crews sweltered in temperatures of more than 30 degrees but the water remained as still as it had all week.

Lightweight women's coxless pair: A fast sprint in the final 500 metres finally gave Great Britain's Sarah Birch and Jo Nitsch the edge they needed to take the lead from Susanne Walther and Michelle Whitcomb Borkhuis of USA. The British crew had sat around a canvas behind for the first 1500 metres with Argentina's Patricia Conte also up with the pace. USA finished second a length behind Great Britain. Argentina held off a late sprint from Jill Lancaster and Georgina Simpson of Zimbabwe to take bronze.

Lightweight men's coxless pair:Gearoid Towey and Tony O'Connor of Ireland continued their country's success in the lightweight small boats with a hard-fought win over Simon Kolkman and Robert Van der Vooren of Netherlands. Though the Irish duo led throughout the race, the Netherlands were right beside them, just a few centimetres back. The Irish has a better sprint and finished more than half a length ahead, with the Dutch coming in second. A battle for bronze was taking place a further half length back. First half leaders Massimo Guglielmi and Giuseppe Del Gaudio of Italy took the medal over Peter Haining and Nick Strange of Great Britain.

Lightweight women's quadruple sculls: Australia bettered their own world best time today as they took gold. They attacked the race from the start, leading all the way to finish first by a length. In second throughout the race, USA followed through with silver with the Netherlands finishing strongly to take bronze.

Lightweight men's quadruple sculls: It was Italy that controlled the race from start to finish in the lightweight men's quad. Their early work paid off as they slowed in the final few hundred metres and they were able to win by a length. Greece used a strong third 500 metre push to work itself into second and held on for silver. 2000 world champions Japan held of Spain by 0.44 seconds to take bronze.

Men's coxed four: A fantastic last-minute sprint took France from fourth place to first to grab gold. Less than 1.8 seconds separated the fisrt four boats as they went though the 500 metre mark where France made their move. They picked off Italy, Great Britain and early leaders Croatia to move through the field. Italy was able to hold onto second, a length over Great Britain who took bronze 0.17 seconds ahead of Croatia.

Lightweight women's double sculls: Olympic silver medallist Claudia Blasberg and new partner in 2001 Janet Radnuzel took hold of the race from the first few strokes and finished more than a length ahead of Poland's Katarzyna Demianiuk and Ilona Mokronowska. Poland was comfortably in second for silver with the real race the one for bronze. Canada's Gen Meredith and Fiona Milne and Romania's Monica Stan and Irina Acsinte were level at the 500 metres but Romania was able to power away to take third.

Lightweight men's double sculls:Leonardo Pettinari and Elia Luini held off Olympic champions and race favourites Tomacz Kucharski and Robert Sycz of Poland to take gold. They led for the entire race but were only a canvas ahead of Kucharski and Sycz as they headed into the final sprint. The Italians had done enough though and finished a length ahead of the slowing Polish crew. France's Fabrice Moreau and Thibaud Chapelle came from last to pip Germany for the bronze by just 0.03 seconds.

Lightweight men's coxless four: Austria rowed through World Cup champions Denmark to take gold. They had sat just behind them for the first half of the race but made their move in the third 500 and edged ahead. Once there, they were determined to stay in front and held on to win by a half a length. Olympic champions France had been battling Italy for the bronze spot but had more in the second half and took it by a length.

Women's quadruple sculls: Olympic champions Germany have taken gold in an authoritative display but they were made to work for their win. They got out in front early but the battle for the places between New Zealand, Australia and USA kept the pace high just behind them. USA and Australia swapped second early on, with New Zealand in third. But the New Zealanders moved ahead in the third 500. They increased the gap over the rest of the field and finished clearly in silver, a length behind Germany and just over a length ahead of bronze medallists USA.

Men's quadruple sculls: And Germany made it a double in the quads, taking gold in the men's event. The former world champions sat in a four crew lineup for the first half of the race but by the 1500 metre mark were clearly in front. The Netherlands and Italy tried to come back at them in a thrilling race to the line. Both sprinted through in the final 1000 metres but the race was Germany's by three-quarters of a length. The Dutch were awarded silver in a photo finish. Italy was third 0.22 seconds behind. Early leaders Ukraine were fourth.

Women's eight: Australia shot out to an early lead to take the women's eight. In the third 500 metres they were almost a length ahead as USA, Romania and Germany jostled for the next places. In the final few hundred metres Romania sprinted through, taking back Australia's lead to just two seats. But the early work had paid off and the Australians were safe. Romania took second just 0.36 seconds over Germany.

Men's eight: Romania separated itself from a very tight field to take gold. They got their nose in front early on and were able to increase their lead as the rest of the field lined up behind them. The main races were between USA, Croatia and Germany with Croatia just in second for most of the course. As in the women's eight, the leaders had their margin of victory sliced away in the final sprint but were quarter of a length ahead at the finish. Croatia was the clear silver while Germany took bronze. Olympic champions Great Britain finished a surprise fifth.