Whipple, who is the coxswain, and Davies (pictured), who were also both silver medallists at the Athens 2004 Games, will once again be in the eight at their third Olympics.

Other returning Olympians include David Banks, Erin Cafaro, Susan Francia, Scott Gault, Elliot Hovey, Ken Jurkowski, Megan Kalmoe, Giuseppe Lanzone, Caroline Lind, Eleanor Logan, Brett Newlin and Wes Piermarini.

The women's eight provided the US with one of their two gold medals at last year's World Championships in Bled, Slovenia, and will be one of the strongest US medal hopes.

The other gold-medal boat from Bled, the women's four, has been dispersed to strengthen two other crews which will be expected to challenge for honours on the Eton Dorney course.

These are the women's pair, which features Sarah Zelenka and Sara Hendershot, and the women's quadruple sculls, where Natalie Dell, Adrienne Martinelli and Kalmoe, who were in the World Championship silver medal-winning crew last year, are now joined by another member of the golden four from Bled, Kara Kohler.

To see the full team click here.

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