The popularity of rowing as a major sport for all ages and abilities in Tasmania is confirmed with nearly 500 athletes taking to the water.

In preparation for further Olympic selection trials in the coming months the Australian prospective squads for heavyweight men's sculling and lightweight men are at Lake Barrington for a two-week training camp around this regatta.

The heavyweight quad and the lightweight eight and four crews all won gold medals at last year's world championships.

Tasmanian and Australian coaches John Driessen (men's quad) and Brett Crowe (lightweight four) know what it takes to get crews up to gold medal standard, so they are using these two weeks to fine-tune all rowers in the squad to give them the best chance to press their claims for a seat at the London Olympics.

They will race in crew boats through the regatta.

In addition, Zoltan Shepherd, from South Australia Sports Institute, has brought a crack under- 23 heavyweight four crew, which includes Tasmanian Sam Volker and under-19 world junior gold medallist Alex Hill, of Adelaide.

These two will compete in the senior pair and also join one of the senior quad crews.

A feature of the weekend will be the form of promising junior scullers in Sam Herron (Hutchins) and Eleni Kalimnios (Huon) in the under-19 single events.

They were absent from the last regatta while attending a national training camp.

Their return will allow some other rowers to gauge their progress.

Among the girls, Miranda Allender (Lindisfarne) and Chloe Ranicar (Scotch Oakburn) and boys Ross Nightingale (Bucks) and Mitchell Digney (St Patrick's) will be the main challengers.

The return of former under- 23 world championship medallist, Taylor Wilczynski (Mersey) from a long-term injury is welcome.

There is stiff competition among scullers in that age group with Max McQueeney (Bucks) and Sam Volker (Bucks) holding a neck and neck battle throughout the season so far.

In the under-23 women, there is close competition between a number of scullers including Meaghan Volker (Bucks), Annabel Gibson (Tamar), Ciona Wilson (Tamar) and Eve Mure (Huon).

A winner could come from outside these four but they will have to be on their best form.

ROWING FAST FACTS

WHAT: Rowing state pennant 5.

WHERE: Lake Barrington.

WHEN: Saturday-Sunday.

WHO: 500 rowers.