It was a dream start to the finals for New Zealand on day six at the 2015 World Rowing Championships in Aiguebelette with a gold medal apiece for the men's and women's lightweight singles of Adam Ling and Zoe McBride. The gold medals capped off a morning that saw New Zealand rowers secure four A finals from four semi finals. In doing so, the kiwis qualified four more crews for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to add to the three spots secured earlier in the week taking the total number of boats qualified to seven.
Adam Ling biding his time, gradually worked his way to the front of the field in a nail biting final and looked strong as he overhauled Serbia and held off a challenge from Slovenia to win gold. The New Zealand lightweight sculler has had a steep rise this year finishing 13 th at the second world cup, winning bronze at the third world cup and capping off his year with a World Championship title. After the race Adam commented, "I went out as hard as I wanted to and then got into a really nice rhythm. I knew I had a sprint at the end so just had to sit within a length - in the last 100 metres I was just praying. Winning the World Champs is the pinnacle, it has put me in a really good frame of mind to chase down an Olympic spot next year."
Zoe McBride capped off a perfect season including two world cup wins in the lightweight single, a world best time and an U23 world title in the women's lightweight double with a World Championship title to boot. McBride produced a stellar race leading start to finish to claim gold. She was elated with her win, "I'm literally on top of the world, to top off this amazing season with this - it's everything I've wanted and more. I just wanted to do exactly what I always do and go out there, have control and be calm. Right from the start I felt so good, I was able to get an early lead and then just hang onto it."
The women's double of Zoe Stevenson and Eve Macfarlane were the first semi final of the day and looked unstoppable as they worked their way into the lead finishing confidently and taking out first place. This ensures they claim their spot in the A final and in doing so, gain Olympic qualification.
Chris Harris and Robbie Manson hung onto reigning world champions, Croatia at the front of the field and after a sprint for the line grabbed third ensuring they move through to the A final and also gain Olympic qualification.
In the men's lightweight four the kiwis chased Denmark down the course maintaining second place throughout until they were pipped in the sprint for the line by the Netherlands. New Zealand finished third but still secure a spot in the A final and for the first time in history successfully qualify a spot for New Zealand in the men's lightweight four.
Mahe Drysdale looked strong in his semi final of the men's single winning in style and laying down the fastest time of the two semi finals. Having claimed his spot in the A final and secured Olympic qualification, he will be chasing his sixth world title in the single scull.
Saturday racing kicks off with the men's quad B final up first and a total of eight crews in action. The crews racing in A finals are the women's pair, men's pair, women's lightweight double and women's quad while three kiwi crews will also race in the C finals.