Grainger, who has amassed three Olympic silvers and five world golds in the last decade, was beaten in the single scull by her younger partner in February's assessement races, and will be seeking to reimpose her authority at the event, which will shape Britain's selection policy in the crucial year before London 2012.

Three of the world champion women's quadruple scull - Beth Rodford, Annabel Vernon and Debbie Flood - will also be in action in the single sculls.

Five Olympic champions will be among the top British rowers getting an early feel for pressurised racing on the Eton Dorney course, which will be the 2012 Olympic Games venue for rowing, paralympic rowing and canoe sprint.

Greg Searle, the 39-year-old Olympic coxed pairs gold medallist of 1992 who forced his way back into the international squad last year and took silver at the World Championships, will be staking his claim for London 2012 in partnership with his Molesey team-mate Cameron Nichol.

Andrew Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed, Beijing gold winners in the men's four, have won this event as a men's pair five times already.

One of their top challengers could prove to be Tom James, winner with them in Beijing, who races alongside Alex Gregory.

Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter, Olympic and world champions in the lightweight men's double scull, should race head to head in what is likely to be a significantly competitive lightweight men's single scull field which includes three of the GB world champion lightweight men's four - Rob Williams, Paul Mattick and Richard Chambers.

Meanwhile, Alan Campbell will seek to add a seventh successive title in the equivalent men's event.

The Northern Irish rower was a potential medalist in Beijing before illness and surgery hampered his run-in to the Games.

He could be challenged by Matt Wells and Marcus Bateman, winners of the world double scull silver in 2010.

The Trials will also feature under-23 racers aiming for this season's World Under-23 World Championships in July.

Constantine Louloudis, a member of this year's victorious Oxford Boat Race crew, and George Nash, a Boat Race winner for Cambridge last year, who race in the open weight men's category, already have an outside chance of making 2012 even though Rio 2016 looks a more realistic target.

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