OLYMPIC rowing champions Peter Reed and Andy Hodge are taking in their stride claims that they are the new Redgrave and Pinsent.

Fresh from his World Cup victory with Hodge at the weekend – after they switched following Olympic success in the coxless four – Nailsworth's Reed said their new pairing was picking up from "where Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent left off".

With five gold medals in successive Games in both the fours and the pairs, stretching from 1984, Redgrave is arguably Britain's greatest Olympian.

He teamed up with Pinsent, a four-time Olympic rowing champion, at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics to win the pairs.

Aware they are already being touted as heirs to the duo, Reed said: "It is where Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent left off.

"I think it is entirely fair that we are compared to them, and those outstanding victories of his are legendary – but that could be daunting because of the success they had.

"They are legendary and people looked up to them but we are definitely in it as Andy Hodge and Pete Reed on our own."

The fledgling international pairing, who have known each other since their days at Oxford University, are getting used to being just two men in a boat.

The 27-year-old Royal Navy Lieutenant also said their very different personalities had created a powerful match.

"We have known each other for a long time, but he is very charismatic, extrovert and outgoing," Reed said.

"I tend to be more clinical about my rowing. We get on well. It is a really complementary relationship."

Despite their success at the first World Cup regatta in Banyoles, Spain, Reed believes there is room for improvement.

"We won the World Cup and I am really excited about the project. It is a very interesting time," he said.

"Technically I think we can row better.

"We did win pretty comfortably but there is still so much more."

Reed picked up his MBE at Buckingham Palace yesterday.

But as for the long-term aim of rowing to gold in the pairs on home waters at the London Olympics, he said: "It is still to early to say in terms of 2012."

● Royal appointment, Page 15