The countdown to the 2011 Australian Rowing Championships and Interstate Regatta is over with the regatta commencing at West Lakes in Adelaide today.

The 2011 regatta has received a record number of entries, with 1261 athletes scheduled to compete across the seven day event in elite, club and school racing.

West Lakes will host the annual regatta for the first time since 1999, with many eyes focused on Australia’s elite rowers, who are beginning the long tussle to fill seats in the Australian team for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The 2011 season is an important one for the Australian Rowing Team, with the World Championships acting as the main opportunity to qualify boats for the Olympic Games. The Australian Championships, as well as the selection trials next month in Sydney, serve as the final opportunities for all national team hopefuls to press for selection.

Triple Olympic gold medallist Drew Ginn will continue his gradual comeback into the sport following two years out of the boat since his triumph in Beijing in the men’s pair, while fellow gold medallists from Beijing, Duncan Free, David Crawshay and Scott Brennan will also be in action throughout the week.

Rowing Australia High Performance Director Andrew Matheson said the time had come for all athletes to show selectors their capabilities.

“The Olympic Games is not that far away now and the current season is one where we want to be getting the structures of our crews in place for next year,” Matheson said. “We have a multitude of talent on display in Adelaide this week and there will be a lot of hard fought racing.

“All the athletes know what the selectors are after, so it is a case of them showing us what they have.”

Racing will commence this morning with heats of the single scull and pairs races.