WORCESTERSHIRE'S Great Britain rowers head for the British 5km trials in Boston on Saturday as the race for Beijing hots up.

World singles record holder Zac Purchase will be out for revenge on 2007 GB doubles partner Mark Hunter, who narrowly beat the King's Sch-ool Worcester product at last month's British Indoor Rowing Championships.

The duo qualified the GB lightweight double boat for the Olympics by taking the bronze medal at the world championships in Munich in Septem-ber and just need to hold their seats to board the plane to China.

Worcester RC's Matt Beechey, a veteran of 10 world rowing championships, came fifth in the 72kg pairs in Munich and will need to make an impression in Boston if he is to have a chance of forcing his way on board GB's world champion four, with the pair not an option at the Games.

Evesham RC's Alex Gregory from Wormington will also want to impress to win his seat back in the GB heavyweight quadruple scull.

The boat inexplicably missed out on an Olympic qualifying slot at the worlds after three top eight finishes in the World Cup series, but will have a second chance to grab one of two more places at the sudden-death qualifying reg-atta in Poland in June.

Worcester RC's Sarah Cowburn will have London 2012 more in mind after a stunning fourth place in the women's singles at the world juniors in Beijing in August. Her aim this time will be a place in next year's world U23 team for Brandenburg.

Clubmate Jo Lyons, who took the British championship singles and women's indoor rowing titles this year after only taking up the sport in 2006, will be hoping to keep her amazing progress going by forcing her way into the GB reckoning.