HEBDEN rower Andy Hodge and his teammate Peter Reed cruised to victory in the men's pairs at the Great Britain Senior Rowing Trials in Hazewinkel, Belgium, on Monday.

World men's four champions Hodge and Peter Reed were imperious in a victory by six seconds, in a time of 6:27.99 over second placed Olympic and world champion Steve Williams and former world junior champion Matt Langridge.

Hodge said: "We went in unsure of how we were going to do and came out really pleased with our result."

Hodge added that it was the first time a British pair has finished with a time under 6.30.

Even though he and Reed dominated the men's pair, Hodge anticipates that both he and Reed will return to men's fours when the first leg of the World Cup series starts in June.

And Hodge believes that Great Britain coach Jurgen Grobler will now have to find out who will take the remaining two places in the men's four.

"We've shown how good we are, now he needs to find out who the next best people are."

Monday's men's pairs final had one set of winner's names on the trophy almost from the outset.

Hodge and Reed, part of the Camelot-backed world champion men's four in 2005 and 2006, had taken a lead by 500 metres, a length by the 750 metre mark and still kept their pedal to the metal to win by six seconds.

Hodge explained: "We had a game plan to make two smaller pushes, rather than one big push.

"We kept the rate high from the start as the field settled in behind us. The other boats pushed at about the halfway mark but we had a very spirited push with 750 metres to go.

"We laid the hammer down from that point and started walking away from the field."

Behind them Williams and Langridge always had an edge over their third place rivals who turned out to be World Cup silver medal winner in 2006, Colin Smith and Tom Lucy - the latter being just 18 years-old and recently moved up from the junior squad.

But it was to be Hodge's day, as he said: "We've shown exactly how far we can go. Now the whole team has got to push forward and step up to the mark.

"It's a long road to Beijing (and the 2008 Olympics) and not many days to do it in."

This weekend the Great Britain team will hold more trials, with the rowers taking part in seat racing'.

Hodge said Grobler would likely be trying different combinations, as the rowers will be competing for places in the various boats. However, Hodge said he has no idea on who will race where as Grobler has made his plans top secret'.

But he added a final decision on teams for the World Cup series would not be made until early May.

This year's four competitions that Great Britain will compete in are as follows: World Cup series one, Linz, Austria, June 1-3.

World Cup series two, Amsterdam, June 22-24.

World Cup series three, Lucerne, Switzerland, July 13-15.

World Championships, Munich, August 26-September 2.