World champion duo Zoe Stevenson and Eve MacFarlane were pipped by 0.05sec by the USA to finish fourth, while Robbie Manson and Chris Harris couldn't haul in Great Britain.
The defending champion men's pair of Hamish Bond and Eric Murray did qualify for their final, comfortably winning their semifinal. They claimed their 68th consecutive win and enter their final as heavy favourites.
Both Mahe Drysdale and Emma Twigg advanced to the semifinals of the single sculls with relative ease. Drysdale crossed the finish line in 6:46.41, clawing his way back to beat fierce rival Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic. Twigg meanwhile cruised in with a time of 7:31.79.
The men's lightweight four of Alistair Bond, James Hunter, James Lassche and Peter Taylor finished third in their semifinal to advance to the final.