The double world champions in coxed and coxless pairs were blown apart by the smooth power of the Australians, who took the gold medal by a length and half.

The Skelin brothers, of Croatia, set the pace down the first half of the course before Tomkins and Ginn made their move.

Pinsent and Cracknell could not respond and had to fight to wrestle the silver medal from the Croatians.

"You've got to take your hat off to the Aussies - they just moved away again," said Pinsent after the race.

"It was our best row of the weekend, but we're just not going quick enough.

"It's not fitness, it's not strength, it's the way that we're moving the boat that's not quite right, and we've got to raise that on to another level.

"Come the world championships in Seville I think that different things will happen."

Chief coach Jurgen Grobler was his usual phlegmatic self after his crew's defeat.

"It was a tough race, no question. The Australians did exactly what they did in the heat, and today we didn't have the skills to hang on and stay with them.

"Today was our best race but it's still not good enough," he said.

Among the spectators was Sir Steve Redgrave, making his first return visit to Lucerne after his retirement to receive an award for his outstanding contribution to rowing.