The muscial chairs selection of New Zealand's lightweight women's double sculls crew has come full circle - much to the delight of Julia Edward and Lucy Strack.

The combination has been named to compete at the opening World Cup regatta in Sydney later this month, reuniting them at the top level after a couple of years apart.

Edward and Strack first rose to prominence at the 2010 world championships at Lake Karapiro, where they were surprise finalists in their first elite international regatta together.

The following year, Rowing New Zealand opted for a combination of Strack and Louise Ayling - who won silver in the lightweight single scull the previous year - as their double sculls crew and they finished sixth in the final at the world champs in Bled, Slovenia.

Another change followed the next year, with Ayling teamed up with Edward as Strack struggled with a back injury. The Kiwi double raised hopes of Olympic glory when they won silver and gold at respective World Cup regattas in Lucerne and Munich, but found the competiton taxing at London, failing to make the A final.

Now Rowing NZ has opted to put Ayling back in the lightweight single for Sydney, with Edward and Strack delighted to team up again.

''It's very exciting - it's good to have the old combo back,'' Edward said.

For Strack, it marked a welcome return to top form and fitness.

''This time last year things weren't going well for me,'' she acknowledged.

''I really stepped back last year and started thinking long term. This is where I wanted to be and I'm really pleased to be here.''

Edward admitted her Olympic experience was a tough lesson.

''We had quite a good run at the World Cups, we were doing really well.

''It was our first Olympics, so we just wanted to take every experience from that event. I think we gained a lot.

''We probably didn't get the result we wanted but we definitely gained a lot.''

- © Fairfax NZ News