Redgrave backs Pinsent to rule

Except Pinsent is protecting a demanding legacy as he goes for his fourth gold. It's no wonder Redgrave is still demanding the best from his former partner.

But he still believes he can inspire Britain to another rowing victory, providing they make the final on Saturday.

"In any other sport, he would already be looked upon as an incredible sporting legend and I think now he's going to get his just desserts," said Redgrave. "He's in a very good frame of mind, very positive and very strong and I believe he's going to emerge triumphant again."

Despite his optimism, it is the toughest of all of Pinsent's golden quests because the quartet has rowed together only twice in competition after a turbulent year which has seen constant changes of personnel and plenty of wretched luck for our No1 boat.

After several alterations, the team were already struggling in World Cup regattas when Alex Partridge was ruled out of the Games by a collapsed lung in June. Yet Redgrave, who had originally criticised the decision to shift Pinsent and Cracknell from the pairs boat into the four because he saw it as a form of surrender, still believes this crew will prevail.

"Man for man, they are better than the favourites Canada," said Redgrave. "The Canadians have the advantage in that they've been together for two years now where our guys haven't had that luxury - but Matthew, James and Ed have been world champions together in the four in 1999 and Ed and Steve were world champions in 2001. So as a unit they're all used to each other.

"They've equalled or surpassed what the Canadians have done as a crew but their challenge is to get everything together in a short space of time. Having seen them this week, I think they will.

"There's so much power and determination there that I can't see them losing. They are playing down their chances but I think they know they are fast enough to win."

Especially with Pinsent playing the role which Redgrave himself once did - as the squad's inspirational strong man.

"From the outside it may have looked as if I was the one in charge when we rowed together but actually Matthew always had an equal say," said Redgrave. "I might have had more experience going into Sydney but he still had two golds under his belt. Now he is going to start to be seen as an unbelievable hero. I used to find that sort of thing embarrassing when all the focus was on me because I knew that without the rest of the crew I was nothing. Matthew understands that too and he copes with the attention very well."

The Olympic regatta was due to resume today, six hours later than planned, after yesterday's programme was cancelled because of high winds.

Matt Smith, chief executive of the sport's governing body FISA, said he expected the weather to become more conducive to racing by lunchtime and organisers hope to clear the backlog by staging 22 repechage races today.

The Schinias course was a controversial choice of venue for the rowing and canoeing after strong winds traditional in August threw a 2003 test event into chaos.

Locals have cited a wind farm on the nearby hills as proof Schinias was never going to be suitable for flatwater sports.