Moe Sbihi and George Nash have been elevated to the top men's boat, the four, along with two of the rowers who took gold at London 2012, Andy Triggs Hodge and Alex Gregory.

Pete Reed, who won gold with Triggs Hodge at the last two Olympics, has been named in the eight for the Championships which take place in Belgrade from May 30 to June 1.

The other member of the victorious British four from London 2012, Tom James, has retired from international competition.

Sbihi won bronze in the eight at the London 2012 Games, where he became Britain's first Muslim Olympic rower.

Moe Sbihi, pictured left with James Foad at the 2012 British trials, has been chosen for the top boat, the four, along with fellow newcomer George Nash, for the forthcoming European Championships in Serbia ©Getty Images

The 6ft 7in Molesey BC athlete won the GB senior trials last month in company with Gregory, finishing inches ahead of the pair of Triggs Hodge and Nash, 6ft 5in, who took London 2012 bronze in the coxless pair.

Sbihi and Nash were in the British eight which won a first world title last year.

Reed, who had to withdraw with a bronchial problem after reaching the final at the trials, tweeted today: "Media day over: I'm selected into the eight this season. It's not the top boat so I have a new challenge to front up to. #Onwards!"

Britain has named 15 Olympic medallists for the Europeans, which it has previously used to offer development crews international experience.

The climax of this season will be the World Championships in Amsterdam from August 24 to 31.

The eight has been the top British men's boat for the last 18 months, but with Rio 2016 only a couple of years away, men's head coach Jurgen Grobler has switched top billing back to the four.

In the women's team, Helen Glover, who won the women's pair at the London 2012 Games, will join Polly Swann, with who she won the world title last year.

Glover's London 2012 partner, Heather Stanning, returned to international competition this year after serving with the British Army in Afghanistan, but although she and Glover won the trials, the Army captain struggled with her return to elite levels and last week she was taken out of consideration for the European squad.

Helen Glover (left) and Polly Swann, pictured after winning the world pairs title last year, will represent Britain at the forthcoming European Championships ©Getty Images

"We are in an enviable position with our open women's squad," said Sir David Tanner, GB Rowing's performance director.

"Helen, Heather and Polly are a strong triumvirate for the women's pair seats and it was always a tough call to make.

"We simply need to get Heather to step back off the training a little, rebuild and come back stronger later in the season."

Olympic champion Kat Copeland, who, like Stanning, returned to competition for the first time since London 2012 with victory at April's trials, has been teamed up with 2013 world finalist Imogen Walsh.

Five Olympic medallists - Reed, Will Satch, James Foad, Matt Langridge and cox Phelan Hill - are named in the men's eight squad of nine rowers along with Oliver Cook, Matt Gotrel, Mat Tarrant, Phil Congdon and Scott Durant.

The third finishers in the pairs at the GB men's trials, Alan Sinclair and Nathaniel Reilly O'Donnell, have earned selection in the men's pair.

London 2012 bronze medallist Alan Campbell will contest the single sculls.

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