by Alex Hoad

@AlexHoadKOL

Kent rowers Dan Ritchie and Tom Ransley have been named in the GB men's eight for the first World Cup event of 2013 in Australia.

Herne Bay's Ritchie (pictured top) and Ashford's Ransley (below) - who was part of the TeamGB eight which took bronze at London 2012 - will travel to Sydney for the Samsung World Cup event which takes place at the International Regatta Course used for the 2000 Olympics from March 22 to 24.

Ransley, 27, attended King's School, Canterbury, while 26-year-old Ritchie is a former Herne Bay High pupil who learned the sport at Herne Bay Coastal Rowing Club.

The pair were both part of the GB eight in the run-up to London, claiming silvers at the World Championships in 2010 and 2011 but Ritchie was ruled out through achilles and knee injuries a couple of months before the Games.

They will be joined in the new-look eight by London Olympic men's four champions Alex Gregory, Peter Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge aswell as Moe Sbihi and cox Phelan Hill who were Ransley's teammates at Eton Dorney in August.

The GB team face a tough task to usurp the dominant German crew who took Gold at London and who have remained unbeaten over the last four years.

Do you think the Kent pair can secure another GB medal in the men's eight? Have your say below.