Shock defeat for Britain’s flagship boat at European Rowing Championships in Poznan

Britain's men's eight winning last year' world title. A shock defeat in their heat at the European Rowing Championships will test their early-season mettle ©Getty Images

Britain’s flagship men’s boat, an eight stuffed with Olympic and world champions, suffered a shock defeat in today’s heats of the European Rowing Championships in Poznan and must contest a repechage in order to progress in a competition where the 50-strong British team was expected to dominate.

After the first of the two eights heats had been comfortably won by Olympic champions Germany, the British boat - which has defeated the Germans in the last two World Championships - was expected to provide a performance at least as commanding.

The second heat was indeed won in a time four seconds faster than that of the Germans, but the winners were a Russian crew who had taken the initiative from the start and finished almost four second clear of The Netherlands to take the other automatic place in Sunday’s (May 31) final, with Britain third.

Pete Reed, who won gold in the coxless four at the last two Olympics, made clear the British men’s dissatisfaction - and determination - at this turn of events in a competition at which the team is making its 2015 international debut.

Pete Reed, pictured (right) with his former British partner in the men's pair, Andy Triggs Hodge, tweeted that he and his fellow members of the British flagship men's eight will have to "Rocky the big Jesus out of the weekend" after their shock defeat in the heats of the European Rowing Championships ©Getty Images

He tweeted: “Bosh. Cracked hard in the face by Ivan Drago today. We need to Rocky the big Jesus out of the weekend #StreetFight"

Reed’s fellow gold medallist in London, Alex Gregory, tweeted a little more obviously optimistically: “Well, that blew out the cobwebs…and my breakfast. Not the result we wanted but plenty to learn from!”

There was a metaphorical crack in the face too for Ukraine’s men’s quadruple sculls world and defending champions as another Russian crew produced a flourish to beat them to the line and condemn them to involvement in tomorrow’s repechage.

Elsewhere Britain’s Katherine Grainger, making a much-heralded return to international competition after taking two years off following her Olympic double sculls victory at the London Games, progressed safely to tomorrow’s semi-finals with her new partner Vicky Thornley, although the British pair had to give best in their heat to Poland’s defending champions, Magdalena Fularczyk and Natalia Madaj, who set the fastest qualifying time of 6min 49.73ec.

The 2013 World Champions, Lithuania - Donata Vistartaite and Milda Valciukaite - were second behind the Poles at the European Championships last year and they opened their 2015 season with a resounding victory in their heat.

While Britain’s top men’s boat has problems to solve, their newly constituted men’s four, which is defending the title won in the event last year and will also defend the world title later this year, produced a hugely promising performance.

The new quartet of Scott Durant, Tom Ransley, Alan Sinclair and Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell produced the fastest qualifying time to earn a rest day tomorrow and a guaranteed place in the final along with last year’s silver medallists, Greece.