WORLD lightweight single sculls champion Zac Purchase is used to doing his own thing, but two's company for the 21-year-old after World Cup doubles silver in Austria earlier this month.

The King's School Worcester product surprised even himself by chasing home world champions Denmark with Henley's Mark Hunter in the Olympic class two-man boat.

Ahead of racing in Amsterdam this weekend, where Olympic champions Poland and Athens silver medallists France are entered in a 26-boat field, Purchase said: "We went to Austria with no preconceptions about how quick we were and were just hoping to make the final really.

"Mark and I only got together a few weeks before, so to race like that was really pleasing.

"We beat the world silver and bronze medallists, and the good thing is that, as a new combination, we've got loads more room for improvement. We're nowhere near the finished article.

"I had a really close race with Mark at the GB trials and there's no massive difference with our technique either, so it's come together really well."

Purchase has had to leave the one-man boat on the rack following world gold at Eton's London 2012 rowing lake last September in a new world record time.

The singles is not raced in the Olympics and, to pursue his dream of Beijing glory, the Cheltenham College coach has had to switch to the double.

"It's been great being world singles champion. People know who you are and respect what you've done, but this is a totally new start," he said.

"Moving a double's all about gelling together and it took a few hundred kilometres to really start moving the boat.

"But Linz was a fantastic result and we can go to Holland with confidence.

"Not only did we beat the silver and bronze guys but I also put one over the Greek guy who beat me to the world lightweight singles title in Japan in 2005, so that was sweet.

"Linz put down a great benchmark and we just want another solid performance to back it up in Holland.

"We get along great off as well as on the water and we're improving all the time so hopefully the Danes aren't out of reach.

"They're a class act, but they're the target for the rest of us."

Worcester Rowing Club's Matt Beechey, 30, is also in action in the lightweight pairs after a brilliant bronze in Austria with partner Daniel Harte.

Alex Gregory, 23, of Wormington, is on board the GB men's quadruple scull which finished a creditable eighth first time out in Linz, just failing to catch Australia in the B' final.