A repeat this year would get her to the London Olympics.
Strack (21) will have her first test of the year at the New Zealand rowing championships at Lake Ruataniwha this week.
She surprised the pundits by winning the women's premier lightweight single sculls title last year and is keen for a repeat.
But it will not be easy, because Strack will be challenged by her world championship pairs partner Julia Edward and world championship silver medallist Louise Ayling.
She has been training with the New Zealand elite summer squad since early December.
"I am back in the single again for the first time since the New Zealand championships last February," Strack told the Otago Daily Times.
"I have had a week getting used to the single before defending my title."
She is also competing in the heavyweight premier single sculls, where she will be joined by Otago rowers Elyse Fraser (Otago University) and Southern Regional Performance Centre scullers Fiona Bourke and Sarah Lindley.
"I am pleased to be back under the guidance of the Southern RPC coach Gary Hay, and to be again a rowing for the North End Club," she said.
It was a stellar year for Strack in 2010 when she was selected in New Zealand crews for the first time.
She won a silver medal in the lightweight double sculls with Julia Edward at the world under-23 championships at Belarus and this gained her selection for the world championships at Lake Karapiro.
"It was a wonderful experience and the crowd support was inspirational," Strack said.
"Our semifinal race was the highlight.
We were back in the field for most of the race but put on a great sprint finish to pass the highly regarded and experienced United States double to get a third place and book our lane for the A final."
Strack has been based at Lake Karapiro since the world championships as part of Rowing New Zealand's summer squad.
She has been rowing in the double sculls with her world championship partner Julia Edward.
"It has been a lot of hard work, doing many kilometres in preparation for our international programme in Europe this year," Strack said.
Strack and Edward are the front runners to retain their double sculls spot in the New Zealand under-23 team for the world championships in Amsterdam and the Olympic qualifying world open championships at Bled, Slovenia, in August.
"Several other lightweight women were recruited into the summer squad to keep pressure on us," she said. The lightweight double sculls is the only Olympic class boat, so there is strong competition for those seat positions.
Elite squad trials in March will determine crew selection.
