Rowing: Kiwi women score medal at world cup

Rotorua's Julia Edward has added another world rowing medal to her already impressive resume.

Edward who competed at the London Olympics, teamed with rowing partner Lucy Strack to win bronze in the women's lightweight double sculls at the world rowing cup in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The pair finished the 2km race in a time of 6m 57.31s, behind Italians Laura Milani and Elisabetta Sancassani (6m 52.41s) and Americans Kristin Hedstrom and Kathleen Bertko (6m 55.36s).

Under New Zealand coach Dick Tonks, the pair are showing they are a force to be reckoned with.

The women's lightweight squad in New Zealand had developed well over the last four years, which had pushed the pair to perform on the world stage, Edward told Worldrowing.com: "We have got some good girls coming through. So they keep us on our toes."

She said the pair's long history of rowing together was starting to pay dividends.

"The reason we work so well [together] is that we tell each other then and there ... We're always on the same page," she said.

Edward and Strack first teamed up in the under-21 champs and then for the 2010 world champs on Lake Karapiro. Their long-term goal is to qualify for the Rio Olympics.

"We want to make our combination dominant and make sure we're in the boat for the next three years."

The pair weren't the only Kiwis to return home with a medal. Rebecca Scown and Kayla Pratt, in the women's pair, began the medal rush for New Zealand with a silver.

Hamish Bond and Eric Murray continued their status as the world's best in the men's pair, winning their race in 6m 21.28s, ahead of silver medallists Italy, who crossed the line in 6m 26.44s. Bronze went to Spain in 6m 28.90s.

The New Zealand lightweight men's four (Curtis Rapley, Peter Taylor, James Lassche and James Hunter) looked impressive, winning by nearly a boat length over the Danish four in a time of 5m 53.52s. The New Zealanders were gold medallists from the Sydney and Eton world cup events and remain the quickest of the lightweight four crews in 2013. Denmark claimed silver in 5m 55.49s and the Netherlands picked up bronze in 5m 58.16s.

The men's double scull of Robbie Manson and Michael Arms continued their excellent form by winning their race in 6m 09.84s, backing up their victories at the Sydney world cup in March, the Eton world cup last month and the Henley Royal Regatta last weekend. Italy were second and Germany third.

The women's double scull of Zoe Stevenson and Fiona Bourke showed great determination to stay in touch throughout their race to finish with a silver behind Lithuania.

Edward returns home today to prepare for the World Rowing Championships in Korea on August 25.