ALISON Knowles has explained the difficulty of having to go head-to-head with team-mates in the battle for coveted Olympic places.

The Bournemouth-born star will be aiming to move a step closer to achieving her London 2012 dream when she competes in trials this weekend.

Knowles will take part in the Team GB senior trials at Eton-Dorney – the rowing venue for this summer’s Games – on Saturday and Sunday.

A former world under-23 champion and Beijing Olympian, she will be aiming to close in on a position in the women’s eight crew, having helped the team secure a world bronze medal last year.

Knowles, a member of Team GB’s women’s eight since 2005, grew up in West Moors and attended West Moors Middle School and Ferndown Upper School.

Discussing the selection process at the recent Team GB rowing press day, Knowles told the Daily Echo: “We know each other inside-out and spend six months of every year in a room together and then we have to try to beat each other when it comes to the crunch.

“Then, once we are in a boat, we have to work together again. It is quite difficult, but that is what we have all signed up to. We all know that is what sport is about so we just get on with it as best we can.”

GB Rowing team performance director David Tanner said: “This event is one of the toughest of the whole calendar, when they have to race against their team-mates.”

With crew formation testing to follow the trials, each rower will be determined to produce a strong individual performance to stake their claim.