By Frank Malley, PA Chief Sports Writer, Sydney

The dreams of Britain's top gold medal contenders were almost laid to rest on Wednesday night - by the sleeping arrangements of two of our elite rowers.

James Cracknell and Tim Foster, one half of the coxless four dream team who begin their Olympic challenge on Sunday, decided to turn their twin-bedded accommodation in the Olympic Village into bunk beds to give them more room.

They successfully clamped their beds on top of one another, only to discover they had not been supplied with a ladder.

Cracknell, 6ft 4ins and 15st 10lbs, then attempted to clamber into the top bunk via a bedside table only to end up in a heap on the floor amid a pile of splintered wood.

Happily, Cracknell was not injured - the only victims of the resulting crash being team-mates Matthew Pinsent and Steven Redgrave who suffered a disturbed night's sleep next door.

"We woke up and thought what have those idiots done next door," said Pinsent on Thursday as he recounted the incident with a throaty chuckle just two days before they begin their challenge at Penrith Lakes on Sunday.

"They'd been making their beds into bunks which technically could be done. It was just that they hadn't been given a ladder.

"James, in an effort to get on the top bunk, had stood on a bedside table which had collapsed."

Pinsent, with a sheepish look across at BOA team boss Simon Clegg, added: "All breakages of course should be reported to the Chef de Mission."

The story had the likes of hockey's Jane Sixsmith, sailing's Ben Ainslie and swimming's Stephen Parry in fits of laughter at a final press gathering of Team GB before competition begins in earnest on Saturday.

It did demonstrate, however, just how relaxed and confident the team has become as it attempts to erase the painful memories of Atlanta four years ago when Britain won one solitary gold.

That, of course, went to Pinsent and Redgrave, who at 38 is seeking to win his fifth consecutive gold medal. And while the rowers could laugh off their latest escapade Pinsent insisted the bitter taste of defeat was the spur which could propel them to sweet victory here.

Pinsent, who will carry the flag for Britain in tomorrow's Opening Ceremony, revealed the loss suffered in the World Cup event in Lucerne two months ago had given the coxless four a timely but painful reminder.

Now he believes they are in peak shape to lift sport's ultimate prize. "Lucerne was disappointing for us. We finished fourth in an event we should have won," said Pinsent.

"But we sat down and all put our two pennyworth into why it went wrong and worked out what we needed to change. We've addressed all of those issues and cranked up the quality level of our training in the last six weeks.

"Winning an Olympic gold medal is never going to be easy. No teams are prepared to roll over and die and say 'You go on and have it'. Given a chance they'll give us a good kicking.

"We just have to make sure we don't give them an opportunity.

"Sure, the other boats will look to us as a strong contender but we've got to be careful we don't concentrate on one opposition whether it's Australia, New Zealand or Italy.

"We've put in the training and the effort and have now got to remain confident to produce our best form."

Foster added that the team's preparations couldn't have gone more smoothly and rejected recent complaints about the Penrith Lakes venue where some teams have struggled to train in the windy conditions.

The Britons didn't fly into Sydney from the Gold Coast until Tuesday, but already have had several sessions at Penrith.

"All the rumours we have heard about Penrith are just not true," said Foster. "It's been like a mirror every time we've rowed on it. Now we are just looking forward to racing."

Sixsmith, meanwhile, revealed the inspirational effect which this beautiful city and its pristine sporting facilities has had on the British team.

"Everything here just proves how much Australia wanted the Games," said the hockey veteran, for whom Sydney is her fourth Olympics.

"The organisers have done everything with the athletes in mind. So much time and effort has been put in, the people are really friendly and the view itself is enough to inspire anybody when you get up in the morning."

The view Sixsmith will have when the competition gets underway on Sunday is unfortunately of Australia, the team which beat Britain in the final of the Commonwealth Games two years ago.

Taking her cue from the upbeat rowers, however, she made the opening clash seem as easy as falling off a log - or should that be a bunk.

"We're relishing the fact that we've got Australia," she said. "It's one of the best times to play them."