How qualification works:

KEY DATES: ROWING 28 AUGUST-4 SEPTEMBER 2011 World Championships in Bled, Slovenia LATE 2011/EARLY 2012 Continental qualification regattas in Asia, Africa and Latin America 20-23 MAY 2012 Final qualification regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland - the last chance to reach the Games

In rowing, nations may qualify one boat in each of the sport's 14 events.

The qualification procedure centres on the 2011 World Championships, to be held in Bled, Slovenia, in late August and early September.

As a very broad rule of thumb, finishing in the top 10 in a men's race and top eight in a women's race in Bled will be enough to see that boat into the Olympic Games. (For the men's eight this is reduced to the top seven, or the top five for the women's eight.)

After Bled, continental qualification regattas in Africa, Asia and Latin America offer boats from those nations a further chance to qualify in some events.

A few months before the Games there will be a final qualification regatta, in the Swiss city of Lucerne, offering a last chance to reach London 2012.

GB's Andy Hodge is expected to face a fierce battle for gold in 2012

How are GB competitors doing?

Rowing is one of Britain's great Olympic strengths, and the GB team can expect to compete for medals in at least 12 of the 14 events.

Though basic provisions for automatic host nation entry to the Games exist, it is highly unlikely GB will need to activate this fallback option.

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