Veteran Greg Searle was satisfied after finishing seventh in his first public trial since announcing his intention to return to rowing for London 2012.
Searle, 38 next month, came fourth in Saturday's semi-final but won Sunday's B final at Olympic venue Dorney Lake.
"I've won an Olympic bronze medal and been gutted, then had races like today and been happy," he told BBC Sport.
"Hopefully I can move on by the next trials in April, where it will be a big result to make the final."
Searle won Olympic gold in Barcelona in 1992 with brother Jonny and cox Garry Herbert, and bronze in a four in 1996, before retiring after the 2000 Olympics.
It's not going to happen overnight; it's going to take months of hard work because the standard is high
Greg Searle
He announced his comeback late last year and, despite poor weather forcing cancellations to GB Rowing's trials, had already been invited to join a squad training camp in Portugal next week.
In the semi-final on Saturday, he finished 12 seconds behind Matt Wells, who went on to finish second in the final behind 2009 world silver medallist Alan Campbell.
Searle beat a host of young international prospects the following day, despite only having begun training full-time in January.
He aims to return to the squad this season - with World Cup events beginning in Europe in May and the World Championships in New Zealand in October - then move into a crew with medal potential next year.
"I'm winning races against the high-potential athletes, which is where I am at the moment," he added.
"It's not going to happen overnight; it's going to take months of hard work because the standard is high and these guys are good."
Final selections for crews this season are likely to be made after a final set of trials in Hazewinkel, Belgium on 10 April.
Many of the top men raced in pairs rather than single sculls this weekend, with Andy Hodge and Pete Reed winning the final in that event.
Scot Katherine Grainger took the women's single sculls from Anna Watkins, who won a world silver medal in the double sculls last August under her maiden name Bebington.
Debbie Flood, who alongside Grainger was beaten to Olympic gold in the quadruple scull in Beijing in 2008, finished sixth after a year off, and is still combining training with work in the prison service.
And 2008 Olympic gold medallist, Zac Purchase, triumphed in the men's lightweight event, in his first races for 12 months after missing a season because of illness.
"It was all about getting back to racing for the first time," he said.
"I wouldn't describe today as 'comfortable' but it was good to get a win. Now it's a question of getting faster and faster."
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?