Olympic champions Yannick Agnel and Camille Muffat, of Nice, and world champion Jérémy Stravius make their 2013 long-course debut in Sarcelles at the first round, over three days starting today, of a new Golden lanes mini-series of three meets.

The series will serve as a warm-up for French swimmers heading for nationaux and world-title trials at Rennes from April 9-14. The Golden lands series caries a prize pot of euros 90,000, with Nice, on January 25-27, and Amiens, on March 15-17, set to follow the Sarcelles meet. 

For Muffat and Agnel, the 200m free will be their first test of the year. Their 2013 target is clear: debut world l/c crowns to add to their London 2012 treasuries, the two involved in all but one of France's seven medals at the Games. 

The one medal that they were not involved in went to Florent Manaudou, the 50m free Olympic champion, who will join Muffat and Agnel at the Nice meet at the end of the month alongside his teammates from Marseilles. 

The Nice meet will also feature the first clash on backstroke between Stravius and 2011 world champion Camille Lacourt, 4th in the 100m at London 2012.