The British team enjoyed their first taste of head-to-head competition at last month's British Gas Duel in the Pool in Manchester when a European select side took on the United States over 25 metres.

The event against the Germans on February 20-21 at the Wales National Pool will again feature straight finals, with the first three in each race awarded points and the nation with the most points at the end of the weekend crowned victors.

As well as Adlington and Tancock, the British team is expected to include the likes of Olympic open water silver medallist David Davies and double Beijing medallist Jo Jackson.

For British Swimming head coach Dennis Pursley the event provides swimmers with the chance to compete as a team and develop racing technique before the long-course season begins.

He said: "This event provides athletes the opportunity to race against world-class competition in a head-to-head format.

"This is one of the best chances for our swimmers to compete against top international competition without real disruption to their training.

"The British athletes will be coming to the end of an intensive training period before the British Gas Swimming Championships in March while the German athletes are just returning after their winter break and so are building back into their training period."

Whereas overall performances will be affected by heavy training loads, Pursley believes the competition will be an important battle of wills and minds.

He said: "This is going to be a great opportunity to see who has the mental toughness to get up and race despite the challenges of heavy training."