MAIDENHEAD'S Peter Lambert is expecting a real test of the GB Rowing Team men’s quadruple scull’s Olympic credentials when they compete at the European Championships next month.

Lambert and Reading’s Sam Townsend have been named in the boat for a third successive European Championships, along with Graeme Thomas and relative newcomer Angus Groom.

British Rowing signalled its intention to aim high in Rio when it named its top-flight boats for the European Championships at its Caversham headquarters today.

Also heading to Brandenburg, Germany on May 6-8 will be Maidenhead’s Katherine Grainger and Jono Clegg, in the women’s double scull and lightweight men’s four respectively.

The European Championships are the first chance to lay down a competitive marker ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio and Lambert is expecting a tough weekend of racing.

“This regatta is an exciting start to our Olympic season and I am extremely happy with my selection for the Europeans,” he said.

“Moreover, the men's quad at the Europeans is an extremely high competition – out of the eight crews that qualified last year for the Olympics, seven of them are European countries. We are looking forward to it.”

Lambert, Townsend and Thomas have won silver and bronze in the last two European Championships.

Last year they were joined in the boat by Maidenhead’s Jack Beaumont, who has recovered from injury to be named as the men’s sculling spare for Brandenburg.

Olympic champion Grainger was also a bronze-medallist at the 2015 European Championships, in the women’s double scull with Vicky Thornley. They will reprise their partnership in Brandenburg.

Clegg has seen off some fierce internal competition to be named in the Olympic-class lightweight men’s four along with Mark Aldred and London 2012 silver-medalists Chris Bartley and Peter Chambers.

However, the pressure remains on those selected to impress in Brandenburg as they look to secure their seats for the Olympics.

Sir David Tanner, GB Rowing Team Performance Director, said: “We are clearly ambitious to do well in Rio and will race and then review the Europeans combinations announced today.”

European Championships, Brandenburg, Germany, May 6-8, 2016.

CREW LISTS: (Crews listed from bow to stroke with cox).

OPEN WOMEN:

Pair: Helen Glover, Heather Stanning.

Eight: Katie Greves, Melanie Wilson, Frances Houghton, Polly Swann, Jess Eddie, Olivia Carnegie-Brown, Karen Bennett, Zoe Lee, Zoe De Toledo.

Double scull: Katherine Grainger, Victoria Thornley.

Quadruple Scull: Kristina Stiller, Jessica Leyden, Holly Nixon, Rosamund Bradbury.

OPEN MEN

Pair: Alan Sinclair, Stewart Innes.

Four: Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash, Constantine Louloudis.

Eight: Matt Gotrel, Scott Durant, Pete Reed, Paul Bennett, Tom Ransley, Andrew T Hodge, Matt Langridge, Will Satch, Phelan Hill (cox).

Single Scull: Alan Campbell.

Double Scull: John Collins, Jonny Walton.

Quadruple Scull: Angus Groom, Sam Townsend, Graeme Thomas, Peter Lambert.

LIGHTWEIGHT WOMEN

Single scull: Imogen Walsh.

Double Scull: Charlotte Taylor, Kat Copeland.

LIGHTWEIGHT MEN

Pair: Sam Scrimgeour, Joel Cassells.

Four: Chris Bartley, Mark Aldred, Jono Clegg, Peter Chambers.

Single Scull:Jamie Kirkwood.

Double Scull: Will Fletcher, Richard Chambers.