The veteran rower is relishing the fresh and unexpected as she and mixed double sculls partner Simon Albury vie to overcome an interrupted preparation period due to state border closures and hotel quarantine.

Ross, a four-time Paralympian, will guide Albury through his first. The pair's campaign will begin on Friday.

"We're a very new combination," Ross told The Standard.

"He's not been to a Paralympics and he's not been to any major events. This is very, very new and we're a new combination in that he's only been rowing about 18 months and that includes through COVID.

"We're quite inexperienced as a crew but I'm hoping my long-term experience (laughs) will hope carry our boat through. I'm supporting him as much as I can and trying to teach him as best I can." Ross felt the duo could still keep opponents honest.

"Our expectation and hope is to make the final," she said. "If we can come top six in the world, we'll be super stoked. Anything above that is an absolute bonus.

"Anything can happen. The conditions are quite challenging here and that's going to be exciting too because anything can happen and anyone can beat anyone in the race. We've just got to go out and do the best we can."

Warrnambool - Ross' hometown which is more than 8233 kilometres from the Tokyo Games - is firmly behind the registered nurse.

"It can be quite a lonely thing when all you're doing is training and training and training but when you get the support from home and those little messages, it helps you focus and it's that warm and fuzzy inside stuff," she said.

"You're not just doing it for you, it's for them as well. You're doing it to show Warrnambool can produce some amazing athletes.

"We do (pretty well) for a small town and I'm out here to showcase what we're capable of."

Ross and Albury's first heat will begin at 11.50am AEST on Friday.

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