Great Britain's men's four missed out on world gold last year
Great Britain have shaken up their flagship men's coxless four as they aim for a third successive Olympic gold.
Alex Partridge has been left out of the crew that missed out on world gold last year for the first time in a decade, with Tom James replacing him.
Crews are only certain for the first World Cup event in Munich next week but are a good indication of Olympic plans.
Partridge is in a strengthened eight while GB's world champion women's quad scull is unchanged from last year.
But the combination of Katherine Grainger, Fran Houghton, Debbie Flood and Annie Vernon only came together again after intensive winter testing, with six candidates very close.
Houghton and Flood won Olympic silver in the crew in 2004, while Grainger came second in the quad in Sydney in 2000 before moving into a pair for Athens.
Having this new guy is quite refreshing and really exciting
Andy Hodge
Those three have won gold at three successive World Championships, and were joined by Annie Vernon for the most recent triumph, in Munich last September.
Vernon told BBC Sport: "We would probably say we are favourites [in Beijing] but the favourites normally win and if we want to win we've got to cope with the pressure.
"It's been a really tough winter. The Olympics is so close we know it's the ultimate goal. It's been pretty cut-throat all winter and I'm glad to get out on the right side of it."
Sir Steve Redgrave expects the boats to stay the same until the Olympics
The lightweight men's four of James Clarke, Paul Mattick, James Lindsay-Fynn and Richard Chambers - who last year won a world gold for Great Britain for the first time ever in the category - remain unchanged.
In the men's flagship crew, the coxless four, only Steve Williams remains from the line-up that secured Matthew Pinsent's fourth successive Olympic gold four years ago.
Partridge was supposed to be in that Athens line-up but suffered a punctured lung in the final stages of preparation.
He joined Williams, Peter Reed and Andy Hodge in a crew that won 27 successive races, including world golds in 2005 and '06 but has struggled for fitness and consistency recently.
Last year he missed the World Cup event in Lucerne with a knee injury - James replacing him - before returning to the crew at a disappointing World Championships, where they finished fourth.
Hodge told BBC Sport: "If you're in the same crew year on year it gets quite stale. Having this new guy is quite refreshing and really exciting.
"In some ways we're starting all over again. We didn't have the result we wanted last year. We have to learn our lessons and make sure we get it right."
James, 24, said: "Alex must be bitterly disappointed. I'm still learning and seeing how the dynamics of the boat work. I hope I will develop as the season goes on.
"It's the top boat and one you aspire to. And it has the best chance of winning in Beijing."
Rumour has it in the last few weeks the eight has been going very well indeed
Sir Steve Redgrave
Olympic legend Sir Steve Redgrave won three of his five gold medals with coach Jurgen Grobler, the man responsible for naming this new-look line-up.
"Alex has been up and down with injuries right the way through his career," Redgrave told BBC Sport.
"I spoke to Alex a few months ago and winter training had gone really well but obviously Jurgen has decided he wants to make a slight change.
"It seems quite late to make a change but Jurgen has normally got his finger on the pulse and wins gold medals at the end of it."
Partridge will now be part of the men's eight, which surprised many to clinch world bronze and has been strengthened by the addition of Colin Smith and Matt Langridge from the coxless pair.
Partridge said: "It's disappointing that we portray the four as the lead boat as if it's the only boat that's got a chance. I'm really excited about being in the eight.
"I had my best winter and my best year so far but Jurgen has to make his best selection, not just for the four but for the team.
"Just because the Eight is not called the lead boat doesn't mean it's not got a very good chance of winning a gold medal. I feel I have a real opportunity to realise my goal and win the Olympics."
The line-up for that crew has yet to be finalised, even for Munich, with 10 names announced.
Redgrave added: "Both guys from the pair have gone into the eight because they feel their chances are better in the eight to win a gold medal.
"Rumour has it in the last few weeks the eight has been going very well indeed. Perhaps they have got a chance of winning this year - I hope so."
Great Britain won seven World Championship medals in Olympic classes last September and have qualified crews for 11 of the 14 events in Bejing.
The final Olympic qualifying regatta will take place in Poznan, Poland, in June.
Those who have already qualified will compete in three World Cup events, in Munich and Lucerne in May then in Poznan in June in preparation for the start of the Olympic regatta on 9 August.
GB rowing performance director David Tanner said: "We won seven Olympic class medals in Munich last year and would love to have that number in Beijing.
"Our target this year is four medals. That's realistic."
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Olympic rower Pete Reed (right) gives an insight into the pain of the rowing machine in his BBC video diary
Eight and leading Pair (selected later): Robin Bourne-Taylor, Richard Egington, Alastair Heathcote, Matt Langridge, Tom Lucy, Alex Partridge, Colin Smith, Tom Solesbury, Tom Stallard, Josh West, Acer Nethercott (cox)
Four: Tom James, Steve Williams, Peter Reed, Andy Triggs Hodge
Quadruple scull*: Simon Fieldhouse, Sam Townsend, Alex Gregory, Bill Lucas
Other Pairs: Toby Garbett, Marcus Bateman; Tom Parker, Oli Moore
Double Scull: Matt Wells, Stephen Rowbotham
Single Scull: Alan Campbell
Lightweight
Women:
Double sculls: Helen Casey, Hester Goodsell; Sophie Hosking, Laura Greenhalgh
Men:
Four: Richard Chambers, James Lindsay-Fynn, Paul Mattick, James Clarke
Double scull: Zac Purchase, Mark Hunter
* - still to qualify for Olympics in this category
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