It was one of nine world best times recorded on the fifth day of competition on Bosbaan Lake, with three coming in the semi-finals earlier in the day as Croatia's Sinkovic brothers became the first crew in men's double sculls to break six minutes, and further new marks were recorded by Denmark's lightweight men's four and Australia's women's double scullers.

The Dutch crew, shadowed in their final by Germany, pulled into the lead as Australia, stroked by veteran sculler Hannah Every-Hall, moved up to mount their challenge. In the final sprint the Dutch held it all together to win in a new world best of 6min 15.95sec, with Australia taking silver and Germany bronze.

"It was great, we were first from start to finish," said Elisabeth Woerner. "We have goosebumps, it was amazing."

Another eight-year-old world best went west, too, in the opening final of the day, the women's four, where New Zealand's quartet of Kelsey Bevan, Grace Prendergast, Kayla Pratt and Kerri Gowler lowered the Australian mark of 6:25.35 to 6:14.36 in a superb race in which the silver and bronze medallists also finished inside the old world standard, with the United States crew of Emily Regan, Tessa Gobbo, Zsuzsanna Francia and Adrienne Martelli clocking 6:20.69, and China's Tian Miao, Min Zhang, Sihui He and Huan Shang taking third place in 6:23.30.

Kayla Pratt and Kelsey Bevan were in the New Zealand women's four which beat the world best time by almost 11 seconds ©Getty Images

Greece produced a third world best time in a final as they took the lightweight men's quadruple sculls gold in 05:42.72, seven seconds better than the previous mark, as Germany took silver and China bronze.

"I feel very good about the race. We are very happy because we got a new world best time," said Greece's Spyridon Giannaros.

As most observers would have expected, a new event for Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, New Zealand's peerless men's pair, provided a fresh challenge but offered the same result: gold - and also in a world best time.

The Kiwi pair, who had never competed internationally in this class before, soon took over the lead from Britain and pulled clear by the threequarters mark, steered by cox Caleb Shepherd.

The British crew of Alan Sinclair and Scott Durant with coxswain Henry Fieldman held onto silver ahead of Germany.

Murray and Bond crossed the finish line in 6:33.26, nine seconds faster than the previous best mark,

Eric Murray and Hamish Bond of New Zealand, unbeatable in the men's pair, won gold at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam in their debut at men's coxed pairs - in a world best time ©Getty Images

"It was rough conditions but we did the job and that was what we were capable of," said Bond.

Simon Niepmann and Lucas Tramer of Switzerland retained their title in the lightweight men's pair despite having to reach the final via the repechage.

Britain's Sam Scrimgeour and Jonathan Clegg took an early lead, but by the middle of the race the more experienced pair had taken over, and they never looked back.

France's Augustin Mouterde and Thomas Baroukh came through to finish second ahead of the Britons, with the Swiss recording a world best time of 6:22.91, eclipsing the mark set in 1994 by Ireland.

Italy's veteran rower Marcello Miani, fastest qualifier in the lightweight men's single sculls final, duly followed through to take gold in a world best time of 6:43.37 as he held off a stern challenge from Germany's Lars Hartig and Michael Schmid of Switzerland, winner at the Lucerne World Cup regatta.

Italy, defending champions in the lightweight men's eight, had to settle for silver as Germany came through to claim the title with a final sprint, with Turkey sparking huge celebrations by earning their first medal at this level in taking bronze.

Eveline Peleman, who had reached the final of the lightweight women's single sculls after winning her semi-final with an inspired sprint, won gold in similar fashion today – although on this occasion, after moving past leaders Leonie Pless of Germany and Canada's newcomer Teresa Berkholtz, she faltered under pressure from Greece's Aikaterini Nikolaidou, catching a crab 50m from the line, but recovering immediately to regain momentum.

Kate Bertko of the United States, who is enjoying her career after being falsely diagnosed with a serious heart problem, took bronze.

"I can't believe it," said Peleman. "I thought it was over but it's amazing. I just said 'sprint sprint sprint!'"

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