SKANDIA Team GBR is the British Sailing Team in the Olympic and Paralympic classes.

The team consists of the Performance Squad and Development and Transitional squads, which jointly total around 70 sailors.

In a Dorset Echo column, Skandia Team GBR members are bringing insight into the campaign for glory.

Here’s quadruple World Champion Alex Rickham, who sails with Portland’s Niki Birrell in the Skud-18 Paralympic keelboat.

WELL, it has been a whirlwind few weeks here in SKUD world. We recently competed in the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta. Aside from Miami OCR it is the only World Cup event we haven’t won.

We were really pleased to win gold.

The best thing about the regatta was all three Paralympic classes medalled. After a speedy departure from Portland following the Olympic classes’ success in eight of the 10 classes, I had to sort myself out for Sail for Gold Ball – the big Olympic and Paralympic Team fundraiser and send off.

Held on Park Lane and attended by the RYA Patron HRH Princess Anne it is a great opportunity for us all to get a bit glammed up.

After several hours trawling the shops, one of my best friends Alexandra Chong suggested website entrepreneur Anna Bance might be able to help. Help she did. Anna sent over two amazing Dina Bar-El dresses and a unanimous vote by family agreed the fuchsia strapless was the way forward.

No rest for the vain though as Niki and I had team duties including spending some time at Accenture – one of the team sponsors – and signing various bits for the Ball auction.

After all of that and a few interviews I, and poor Kaia, my PA, had to get me looking sparkly in under two hours.

There were tantrums, pulling, pushing and rather sketchy transfers. Finally, though, I had to say I was looking alright.

The night is an awe-inspiring part of GB Sailing tradition, which makes you terribly grateful and proud to be part of the Paralympic and Olympic movements. Now we head to training until the Games.

• Read the full blog at teambirrellrickham.com