West Australians Ben Cureton and Todd Skipworth are counting down to the London Olympics as they prepare for the Australian rowing championships at Champion Lakes in Armadale from March 5 to 11.

It will be the first time since 1994 that WA will host the country's premier rowing regatta, which will play a key role in identifying the rowers to compete in 10 of the 14 Olympic classes in London.

WA's rowing stocks have dwindled over the past eight years - from 10 representatives for the 2004 Athens Olympics to seven for Beijing in 2008 and, at best, three for London, with Sarah Tait the only woman in contention.

Tait, who is expected to row in the women's pair, has moved to Melbourne while Cureton and Skipworth have been training with the lightweight squad in Tasmania.

Cureton, who will be vying for his third Olympics after winning silver in the lightweight four in Athens, said it had been tough moving away from Perth to be part of the Olympic squad.

"It is always tough moving away from home but we knew Tassie probably provides a better training environment in terms of facilities, the river and a large group of lightweights who can train together as a squad," he said.

After disappointment in Beijing where the lightweight four was ninth, there has been an attempt to get the best rowers in one boat.

"We have decided to put all our eggs into one basket rather than split the strength across two categories - the four and the double," Cureton said.

"Having that extra strength in one boat has made a massive difference and helped win gold at last year's world championships in Slovenia.

"We are pushing for gold rather than medals in a couple of boats."

The crew is expected to be made up of Cureton, Skipworth, Sam Beltz and 39-year-old Anthony Edwards, who will be going for his fifth Olympics.