Kim Crow will look to regain her world title when she leads the Australian charge at the world rowing championships in France.
The regatta on Lake Aiguebelette, near Chambery, double as a qualifying event for next year's Rio Olympics with Australia aiming to qualify 11 Olympic boat classes from 14 on offer and three Paralympic boat classes.
Crow, 30, has been in stunning form, winning two World Cup races.
In her last hit-out in Switzerland last month, she finished almost eight seconds ahead of the next competitor, Czech 2012 Olympic champion Mirka Knapkova.
Crow won bronze behind Knapkova in that event in London, backing up from a silver medal in the double scull, with the Australians missing out on any Olympic gold medals.
The Melbourne rower is concentrating solely on the single scull this time and said she has been training hard to regain her world crown.
Crow won the title in Chungju in South Korea in 2013 but was forced to settle for silver behind New Zealand's Emma Twigg last year in Amsterdam.
Twigg isn't competing in France, taking a year off to study.
"Since the rowing world cup I've been based in Varese (Italy) and it's been a great training block," Crow said.
"I'm really looking forward to racing this week."
With 77 countries and a record 1300 rowers, competition will be fierce with Olympic berths on the line.
As well as Crow, Australia's best title hopes lay with 2014 double scull medallists Sally Kehoe and Olympia Aldersey, as well as Alex Belonogoff and James McRae in the men's equivalent.
The women took silver last month in Lucerne while the men finished third.
The new-look men's four are also a strong chance after winning gold in Switzerland, although they were forced to make a personnel change with Josh Dunkley-Smith coming into the crew to replace Alex Lloyd, who was injured in a bike crash during a training ride.
The men's quad scull are also looking to get amongst the medals after making the A-finals in two World Cups this year.
David Crawshay, who won gold in the men's double at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said preparations had been going well.
"I've been very impressed with the consistency of our training and I'm looking forward to seeing the results of our hard work," he said.
Erik Horrie - in the arms and shoulders men's single scull - as well as Kathryn Ross and Gavin Bellis - in the trunk and arms mixed double scull - will be out to defend their world para-rowing titles as well as qualify for Rio.
Australia also has a boat in the legs, trunk and arms mixed coxed four, which is aiming for a top-eight finish to make the Paralympics.
While boats qualify for next year's Games, selectors won't name the team for Rio until early next year.
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