LOSSIEMOUTH’S Olympic, world and European champion Heather Stanning, along with partner Helen Glover, continued her dominance of the women’s pairs event with a comfortable opening-day win at the second Rowing World Cup yesterday in Varese, Italy.

Stanning and Glover now move onto today’s semi-final, as does Olympic champion Katherine Grainger in double sculls, who, with new partner Vicky Thornley, finished second in the heat, behind Australia.

Making his debut in the British men’s quadruple scull crew, Glasgow’s Commonwealth champion Angus Groom, was a heat winner, ahead of Germany in the day’s fastest time, to move directly to tomorrow’s final.