Some of Britain's Olympic 2012 champions are in search of more success on home water at Eton Dorney today in the finals of the Samsung World Rowing Cup - part of the UK Sport Gold Event Series.
Crowds have already begun to gather at the venue with only a few hundred tickets left on the door.
Great Britain have crews in fifteen of the sixteen finals and are hoping to be cheered on by a full house at the Olympic venue, in Berkshire.
2012 gold medallist, Helen Glover, now with Polly Swann in the women's pair, races against two other GB crews in the final of the event she won at Eton Dorney last year with Heather Stanning.
Their medal at the Olympics was the first gold of the Games for Great Britain and Glover has spoken of her motivation to win again on this course with her new partner, and repeat their success of the first World Cup in Sydney earlier this year.
Double Olympic champions Peter Reed and Andy Triggs-Hodge are in a newly formed men's eight and will be looking to improve on their disappointing third place in Friday's preliminary race.
Already with a Sydney World Rowing Cup victory this season, coach Jurgen Grobler will be demanding an improvement in the final result . Reed suggested a win at this home regatta is important as they are so rare. "It makes it much more special, maybe even more than the World Championships."
Brothers Peter and Richard Chambers have formed a new partnership in the lightweight double sculls and progressed to the final after finishing behind a strong Norwegian crew in the semi finals. Last summer they won silver medals in the lightweight fours behind South Africa, who are not racing at this regatta.
Beijing women's quad silver medallist Frances Houghton and Victoria Meyer-Laker won straight through to their final from the heats of the double sculls. Germany and China will provide a good test for the new combination.
Single sculler Alan Campbell won Olympic bronze on the waters at Eton last summer and will compete against long time rival, and silver medallist Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic in today's final.
The British team at Eton Dorney is the largest taken to a World Rowing Cup with many gaining new, and valuable senior international racing experience. At the London 2012 regatta, Britain finished top of the medal table and GB Rowing Team Performance Director, Sir David Tanner, has already described this year as 'transitional', and a perfect opportunity for emerging young crews to "race alongside established stars." Saturday saw 2 golds and a bronze for the GB Rowing Team in Para-Rowing events.
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