Tommy Bertrand and Kathryn Ross impressed officials at the Australian Rowing Championships in Nagambie last month and have been chosen to contest the national selection trials in Sydney.

A successful performance at the event will secure an invitation to two World Rowing Cup competitions in Europe later this year.

From the world cup squad, a final representative team will be chosen to contest the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand in November.

Bertrand and his partner, Angus Tyers came sixth in the men’s lightweight double scull at the national titles.

Despite being happy with their initial performance, Bertrand said there was much to improve.

“At the time we didn’t think (coming sixth) was such a bad result,” he said.

“It was a very close field. There wasn’t much between second and sixth.

“But after we went away we realised we needed to make some changes.”

Bertrand has competed at the selection trials on four occasions.

He has also worn the green and gold lycra jumpsuit three times on the world cup stage.

The 22-year-old knows minor technical problems have to be addressed before arriving at the national selection trials.

“Our approach at the nationals was a bit underdone but (the trials) is the most important (event),” he said.

“We’ve made a few technical changes.

“We’ve changed the catch, how the blade hits the water, and we’ve generated a lot more speed and aggression from that.

“We are going into the trials with a lot more confidence.”

Bertrand and Tyers have been doing 13 training sessions a week, on the water and in the gym.

The Victorian Institute of Sport pair have become familiar with the Yarra River.

Bertrand said the partnership was the youngest attending this month’s showdown.

“We are a pretty young pair but we’ve got enthusiasm and we are both hungry for it,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of trust in each other.”