After a golden start, Australia had to settle for three minor medals at the World Rowing Championships.

Australia won all three of its finals on Saturday, the penultimate day of the eight-day regatta at Eton, England.

But, from the seven finals contested on the closing day, Australia claimed one silver and two bronze medals.

South Australian Institute of Sport duo Marguerite Houston and Amber Halliday won silver behind China's Xu Dongxiang and Yan Shimin in the lightweight women's double scull.

The Chinese led from the start to finish in 6min 55.12sec, compared to the Australians' 6:56.57. Greeks Chrysi Biskitzi and Alexandra Tsiavou were third in 6:57.14.

Catriona Sens, Sonia Mills, Dana Faletic and Sally Kehoe won bronze in the women's quad scull.

They finished exactly two seconds behind Russians Olga Samulenkova, Oxana Dorodnova, Larisa Merk and Irina Fedotova, who won in 6:11.99. Great Britain's Debbie Flood, Sarah Winckless, Frances Houghton and Katherine Grainger were second in 6:12.50.

Australia's women's eight failed to defend their title and had to settle for bronze behind the United States and Germany.

The Americans' time of 5:55.50 eclipsed their own world best of 5:56.55 set at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Germany finished in 5:57.29, while Australia's Robyn Selby Smith, Jo Lutz, Amber Bradley, Sarah Cook, Kim Crow, Sarah Heard, Emily Martin, Kate Hornsey and cox Lizzy Patrick crossed the line in 6:00.29.

In the men's event, James Chapman, James Marburg, Matthew Ryan, Sam Conrad, Tom Laurich, Karsten Forsterling, Cameron McKenzie-McHarg, Jeremy Stevenson and cox Marty Rabjohns, were forced into fourth place behind Germany, Italy and the United States.

In the lightweight men's double scull, Tasmanians Sam Beltz and Tom Gibson were fourth, more than five seconds behind Denmark's Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist, who won easily in 6:11.42 ahead of Italy (6:14.90) and France (6:15.94).

Lightweight men's four Todd Skipworth, Ben Cureton, Michael McBryde and Tim O'Callaghan were the slowest qualifiers for the final and did not improve on their placing, finishing sixth. China won, followed by France, Ireland, Canada and Great Britain.

Tim Smith and Cameron Wurf finished fourth in the men's lightweight pair, which is not an Olympic event.

The Australians were second behind eventual champions Germany for three quarters of the race but were overtaken in the last 500 metres by Spain and Italy.

In the adaptive category for disabled athletes, Australia's Dominic Monypenny won gold in the men's arms only single scull.

His effort helped Australia to second on the medal table.

Great Britain was top with four gold, one silver and three bronze for a total of eight, while Australia had four gold, one silver and two bronze - seven medals in all.

Germany was third with three gold, seven silver and one bronze for a total of 11.

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