Britain Rules the Olympic Waves

Great Britain reaped a record Olympic harvest at the London 2012 rowing regatta which concluded Saturday with the host nation claiming two of the four concluding finals.

Arguably the most successful day in British rowing history began with Alex Gregory, Pete Reed, Tom James and Andrew Triggs Hodge winning the country's fourth successive men's four title.

The home crew led from the first stroke to deny arch rivals Australia, with the United States taking bronze.

After maintaining the host nation's grip on the division, Triggs Hodge said: "That was our masterpiece, it took four years to make."

James added: "When it started raining I knew this was our day. The atmosphere was epic, magic, and phenomenal."

Reed chipped in: "Double Olympic champion, I can't believe it -- all the hours, the pain, it was all worth it in the end."

Next to take to the water at Eton Dorney were Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking who won Britain's first ever lightweight women's double sculls gold.

Clear water separated the winners from China, with world champions Greece in third place.

"We'll be on a (postage) stamp tomorrow," beamed Copeland who had only teamed up with Hosking this year.

She added: "I know this isn't the Oscars, but can I just thank my mum and dad?"

That result doubled Britain's gold haul from Beijing and matched the four titles they won back in 1908, in London.

There were high hopes of a third gold courtesy of defending champions Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter in the lightweight men's double sculls but they had to settle for silver after being pipped to the line by Danish duo Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist.

Asked if there was anything quite like winning an Olympic gold Rasmussen replied: "Maybe the first time you hold your baby in your arms."

Purchase and Hunter were distraught.

"We gave everything, we wanted to win so much, we're sorry we've let everyone down," said a tearful Hunter.

The race had to be restarted after a seat broke on the British boat inside the first 100m.

That silver pushed Britain's total medal tally to nine, a record and left them clear at the top of the final rowing medals table from New Zealand, who finished the week with three golds, and Germany.

The Olympic hosts were unrepresented in the last of this week's 14 finals, the women's single sculls, which produced a runaway winner in the guise of Czech Republic rower Miroslava Knapkova.

"I think it's something incredible. It's my dream since I was a child and everyone who does sport," said the ecstatic Czech.

Denmark's Fie Udby Erichsen took silver, with the bronze medal going to Australia's Kim Crow 24 hours after she had won silver in the women's double sculls.