Heats continued today at the World Rowing Championships ©FISA

Britain's Olympic silver medallist Victoria Thornley continued her fine transition to single sculling with a heat victory at the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton in the United States.

The 29-year-old won double sculls silver with Katherine Grainger at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games but has opted to go it alone this term, winning the European title in Račice and picking up World Rowing Cup medals.

She won her heat on the Florida course today to qualify directly for the semi-finals.

Fie Udby Erichsen of Denmark also won her single sculls heat, as did Magdalena Lobnig of Austria and Jeannine Gmelin of Switzerland.

In the men's double sculls, there was a strong victory for New Zealand's double World Rowing Cup winners John Storey and Chris Harris.

Olympic silver medallists Saulius Ritter and Mindaugas Griskonis made it through their heat in the men's double sculls ©Getty Images
Olympic silver medallists Saulius Ritter and Mindaugas Griskonis made it through their heat in the men's double sculls ©Getty Images

Olympic silver medallists Saulius Ritter and Mindaugas Griskonis of Lithuania also qualified from their heat, albeit in second position behind Swiss pair Barnabe Delarze and Roman Roeoesli.

Britain’s Graeme Thomas and Angus Groom and Poland's Miroslaw Zietarski and Mateusz Biskup, who qualified with the quickest time from all four races, won their heats.

Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler of New Zealand, who set a new world's best time this season, eased through to win their heat in the women's pair.

Megan Kalmoe and Tracy Eisser of the United States won heat two on home water with only the heat winners ensuring their qualification spots for the semi-finals.

More heats and repechage events will be held tomorrow.