Aberdeen’s Katherine Grainger clinched a surprise silver at the World Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland.

The 33-year old Scot has a rich pedigree at the championships, having claimed three consecutive golds in the quadruple sculls between 2005 and 2007 and gold in the coxless pair in 2003.

But the Glasgow-born rower has struggled to reach the same heights since switching to the single sculls at the beginning of the season, finishing fourth at the World Cup events in Lucerne and Munich.

But Grainger’s major championship experience shone through in Saturday’s final, as she finished second in 7.13:57 minutes – more than two-and-a-half seconds ahead of Czech Republic’s Mirka Knapkova in third.

Belarus’ Ekaterina Karsten-Khodotovitch finished in 7.11:78m to secure her sixth world gold.