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Four Australian 2012 Olympic hopefuls took a positive early step towards that goal with victory at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta.
The Olympic venue at Eton is quite different from the Henley course on the tidal River Thames conquered by Sydney Rowing Club quartet Kurt Spencer, Scott Woodward, Tom Quilty and Ry Kehlet as they beat Nottingham and Union Rowing Club in the final of the men's coxless fours on Sunday.
But their victory over 2,112 metres by one-and-three-quarter lengths to clinch the Wyfold Challenge Cup on Sunday was an important marker of their out-of-season fitness.
Quilty, a three-time veteran of Henley, is making his comeback after an untimely training accident while cycling left him with a broken collarbone and on the sidelines after being selected for the Under-23 world championships in Germany a year ago.
'Most of us in the back of our minds are aiming for 2012,' Quilty told AAP.
'The next Australian team selection is March next year, so we're doing a physical aerobic base now building up into that.'
Woodward confirmed the next Olympics were an important goal for him.
'It's a fair way away, we've got three years to train and go for it,' he said.
Making his maiden appearance at the famed regatta in his first year out of school, Woodward said the result made a tough three-month training block worthwhile.
'You need racing,' he said.
'You can't keep training, training, training - you need something exciting.'
The Sydneysiders led from the start and held off a keen challenge midway through before making a late charge to finish in seven minutes and one second.
Melbourne Grammar School lost to Westminster School in the final of the Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley.
Jordan Hooper, Matt Ridgeway, Steve Blakeney and Ben Coombs trailed throughout the junior men's quadruple sculls race.
A half-length gap in Westminster's favour blew out to a full length after the halfway stage and despite a late fightback by the Melbourne crew, the home boat crossed the finish line two-thirds of a length ahead in 7:00:26.
All four Melbourne Grammar School students, ranging in age from 16-18, are part of the reigning national schoolboys' champion eight.
Coach Nick Lloyd said: 'They wanted to put the icing on the cake for the season and try and have a go at Henley.
'I'm very proud, considering they've come out of an eight, jumped into a quad for five weeks, it was very good.
'They're pretty tenacious kids.'
While 2012 is probably too early for them to target the Olympics, the following Games is in reach.
'I think 2016 is more realistic for those guys in terms of their age,' Lloyd said.
The Henley Royal Regatta has been held annually on the Thames since 1839, with crews match racing on a notoriously windy course.
Eight Australian crews competed, but the rest were knocked out before the final day.
