NZ rowers keep Rio in their sights as they push hard at worlds

Mahe Drysdale celebrates victory in the Men's Single Sculls Final A. Photo / Getty Images

So far so good for New Zealand's rowing crews at the world championships in Aiguebelette, France.

For several of the 14 Olympic-class crews, the target is a podium place this week, but for others the key task is ensuring their boat qualifies for the Olympic Games in Rio next year without having to go through the last-chance regatta next year.

Of the 16 Kiwi crews, including the non-Olympic lightweight men's and women's single scull, seven won their heat - including defending champions Mahe Drysdale, Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, and Eve Macfarlane and Zoe Stevenson in the single scull, coxless pair and double scull respectively - while four others finished second and two third. Three crews were headed for repechages.

The men's four were racing late last night, while the men's eight and women's quad will line up tonight.

The four of Finn Howard, Anthony Allen, Alex Bardoul and Bobby Kells had to finish the regatta in the top 11 to secure a spot in the Rio field.

The men's eight, who finished fourth in their heat behind Britain, the Netherlands and Russia, where only the first two advanced straight to the final, must get inside the top five to qualify for next year.

The women's quad, also fourth in their heat, need to make the final, then finish in the top five.

The good news story out of yesterday's racing was the effort of the women's eight, who finished second behind Canada, clocking 6min 05.650s to move into their final. They, too, are chasing a top-five finish at the regatta to take the direct route to Rio.

The United States, the Netherlands and Britain recorded faster times than New Zealand in the other heat, but they now have four full days to prepare for the final.

Four crews have moved straight into semifinals. Lightweight single sculler Zoe McBride, the men's quad of John Storey, George Bridgewater, Jade Uru and Karl Manson, and women's pair Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast have semis tomorrow night (NZT) while Macfarlane and Stevenson race 24 hours later.