Whilst GB Rowing celebrated two exceptional performances at the season's second of three World Cups in Lucerne, Switzerland, there was a general sense of a rising challenge from the rest of the world as Beijing approaches.

Although they won gold in the lightweight men's double scull and silver from the men's open double scull there was disappointment elsewhere.

The Camelot-sponsored women's quadruple scull crew of Guiseley's Debbie Flood, Katherine Grainger, Frances Houghton and Annie Vernon took bronze but, as world champions it was not the result they coveted.

The newly-strengthened GB men's eight also took bronze in a great finish to the regatta but they, too, have their sights set higher.

Alan Campbell, a world cup winner three weeks ago in the men's single scull, was fourth here and the world champion lightweight men's four were fifth. GB's men's four, racing here in a different line-up because of injury, were eighth.

"We did not get carried away with our five golds from the World Cup in Munich last month and today shows why," said David Tanner the GB Performance Director.

"There are crews here that weren't in Munich and different combinations in some events from other nations. The world has moved on and we know we need to work hard before, during and after the next world cup in Poznan to do the best we can in Beijing."

Flood and her crew needed to rebuild their confidence in Lucerne after their defeat to China in the seeding race.

Their attempt to make amends became clear tactically from the outset. They blasted out to an early lead of two seconds at the 500m mark and of three seconds at halfway.

China though had pegged them back to just over a second by 1500m with Germany and the USA also in contention.

With 300m to go, the tactics proved unsustainable. China had timed their attack to perfection and moved through to win in 6:21.14 with the USA coming through to take silver by just under three tenths from the Great Britain.

Now it will be back to the drawing board with coach Paul Thompson to see what can be done before Poznan and, more importantly, before Beijing.