Back in harness for the first time since winning the lightweight men's double scull in Beijing after sitting out the whole of last year, the pair found something extra over the last 250 metres to win in 6min 26.56sec from the New Zealand crew.

"It's exciting and it's even a bit of a shock," said 31-year-old Hunter whose return to the sport has been delayed because of recent injury.

"We had to dig deep to find that.

"Three weeks ago I was injured and training on a bicycle.

"I can't believe it."

Their victory was part of a 100 per cent gold tally for the lightweight squad as the men's four, who also beat the reigning world champions, and the lightweight women's double scull of Sophie Hosking and Hester Goodsell also won.

Hosking and Goodsell, the overall World Cup winners in 2009, were in a class of their own as they led from early on.

Hosking said: "The last regatta [where Britain lost to the United States] really focussed our mind in training.

"We knew the work we had to do to make up ground. 

"We wanted to seek out a really good race for ourselves."

The lightweight men's four of Rob Williams, Richard Chambers, Chris Bartley and Paul Mattick came from behind to overhaul Denmark and the Czech Republic.

Mattick said: "We made our move at just the right time.

"We've moved on since [since the last World Cup in] Bled. 

"We have the ability to make a move and we did that today at the precise time.

"It is so potent."



Earlier the two open weight British double sculls of Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins as well as Marcus Bateman and Matt Wells (pictured) were dominant in taking golds - creating a first for Britain as they won all four Olympic class doubles events here.

Bateman and Wells, a new combination this year, held off the French pair Cedric Berrest and Julien Bahain with a determined performance to repeat their victory in the previous World Cup.

Well said: "Marcus and I are a really good unit.

"We have a common goal. 

"We are taking each race as it comes and we are very focussed. 

"There is a lot of hard work that has gone into training but we are starting to see what we can do."

The team also added three silvers - in the women's eight in which Britain overhauled Germany in the final metres, the men's pair and the women's quadruple scull - the latter boat featuring Grainger and Watkins once more after just a 72 minute gap from their previous final.

Grainger (pictured right with Watkins) said: "In our double scull we were in control of the race and did what we had to.

"In the quad final we didn't expect the Germans to go out so fast but I'm pleased at the way we responded after that.

"We just ran out of room."

The three bronze medals came from the men's four,  the men's eight and the men's quadruple scull.

Only Alan Campbell, in the men's single scull, who might have been expected to take a medal missed out when he finished fifth in a tough race.

David Tanner, British Rowing's performance director, said: "Quite clearly I am extremely pleased with the team's performance today.

"To have won 11 medals from the 13 boat classes we entered is a good step up from the equivalent World Cup last year. 

"We know there are more nations to come in what is going to be a long season but it was still a strong performance."


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