Kiwi rowers Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler have cruised into the final of the women's pair after winning their semi-final in Tokyo this afternoon with a world record time.

Prendergast and Gowler got off to a strong start in the race, taking the lead by 0.78 seconds from the Russian Olympic Committee boat at the 500m mark.

That lead increased to 2.46 seconds by the halfway mark and doubled again to 5.73 seconds by the 1500m mark.

The Kiwis brought it home with a time of 6:47.41, breaking the world best time which had just been set in the previous semi-final. Rowers in both semi-finals benefited from a strong tailwind.

ROC and Spain earned the other two spots in the final, finishing second and third respectively.