Rowing: Campbell seizes the day to make sculls final

British rowing found a new star yesterday when Alan Campbell reached the final of the World Cup single sculls.

The former Army officer from Coleraine reached the last six from a field of 32 by winning his heat and quarter-final outright. His favourite expression is "carpe diem" [seize the day]. "This year's all about carpe annum - seize the year," he said. After finishing seventh in the quadruple sculls at last year's world championships, Campbell persuaded head coach Jürgen Grobler to let him start this season on his own.

Crews from 49 countries are here and the British have made a good start. A new men's eight came through a repêchage to reach the final and the new double scullers Annie Vernon and Anna Bebington were fastest qualifiers for theirs. The new men's double, Matt Wells and Steve Rowbotham, and the lightweight men's four also qualified. The men's world champion heavyweight coxless four were on form and the women's quadruple scullers and women's eight also made today's finals.

National University of Ireland Galway have been suspended for 15 months by the Irish Amateur Rowing Union for status infringements. They are ineligible for Henley, where they hold the Visitors' Challenge Cup.