Matt joins Zac in the final stage

8:20pm Friday 9th May 2008

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ZAC Purchase and Matt Beechey cruised through their opening rounds in Munich at the first major test of the Olympic year.

Alex Gregory's Great Britain heavyweight quadruple scull made today's semi-finals with a gutsy repechage race, leading Ukraine to within yards of the line to grab the second qualifying slot.

Former King's School Worcester pupil Purchase took up where he left off on the lake where he won world bronze with Mark Hunter last September.

The Beijing medal hopes stamped their class on their opening lightweight doubles heat, seeing off a tough first-half challenge from New Zealand with something to spare.

They were even more dominating in the quarter-finals and cruised into today's semis.

Worcester Rowing Club's Beechey, a veteran of 10 world championships, won a tough battle with France to take the sole direct qualifying route to tomorrow's final with new lightweight pairs partner Rob Williams.

Beechey looks like he could add to the three World Cup regatta medals he won last year.

Evesham Rowing Club's Gregory's quadruple scull just pipped Romania for fifth on the line and were a good eight seconds off a direct qualifying place.

But they turned it all round in the repechage, courageously blasting into an early lead that was still two-thirds of a length with 500m to go before finishing second.