Team sports scientist Angus Ross put the nine hopefuls through their paces at the New Zealand Academy of Sport (South Island) in Dunedin yesterday, in preparation for the world championships at Lake Placid in the United States in February.
A crew of four, plus pilot Alan Henderson, is expected to be announced on Monday.
The team is hoping for a podium finish at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 and has been steadily improving since forming in May 2008.
Of more immediate concern is the world championships.
"I'm more than happy with where they are at and we've got another five weeks before the world champs," Ross said.
"Another winter of training and we will be better ahead. But some of the times they did [yesterday] were good sprint times."
The Dunedin-based trio of Chris Donaldson, Tom Davie and Willie Trew is the fastest combination, but the final selection will take into account 30m sprint times, body weight and power-to-weight ratios.
The New Zealanders are on the small side but the key to their success will be lowering their push times.
Henderson, Carl Condliffe, Aaron Orangi and Steve Harrison will compete at an event in Switzerland next week.
