THE race to reach the 2012 Olympic Games steps up a gear for York City Rowing Club ace Tom Ransley this weekend.

The 25-year-old will line up with Great Britain’s leading rowers for the Senior Trials on the Olympic course at Dorney Lake, near Eton, on Saturday and Sunday.

The University of York graduate will be aiming to impress the GB selectors and secure a coveted place in the senior squad for the first World Cup event in Munich next month.

After winning a silver medal as part of the eights at the World Championships in New Zealand last autumn, Ransley impressed in a new pairing with Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell for the British Rowing Team Winter Assessment in February.

And, with team performance director David Tanner saying competitors will have London 2012 “firmly set in their sights”, Ransley will need to be at his best again this weekend.

The team for the first World Cup event will be announced on May 11.

There are then two further World Cups this season before the World Championships in Slovenia in late August, when Britain can qualify boats for London 2012.

The schedule for this weekend sees a series of time trials being held on Saturday morning over 1,900 metres before the afternoon semi-finals over 2,000 metres.

On Sunday morning, the finals will be staged on the 2,000 metre course.

Joining Ransley in the ranks are three North Yorkshire rowers.

Scarborough’s Bob Hewitt, 23, a part-time window cleaner, is looking to make a return to competitive rowing after a two-year absence.

Olympic champion and double world champion Andrew Triggs-Hodge, 32, of Hebden, will team up with Peter Reed in the men’s pairs. Harrogate-born Debbie Flood, 31, will bring a wealth of experience to the trials as a double Olympic silver medallist and four-time world champion.