OLYMPIC and Paralympic sailors including gold medallists Ben Ainslie and Helena Lucas provided a star-studded launch to this year’s PSP Southampton Boat Show.

Four-time Olympic champion Ainslie and Paralympic 2.4mR medallist Lucas were joined by several Team GB sailors and rowers to cut the ribbon at last Friday’s event.

Shortly after the official opening, Formula 1 star Jenson Button flew into Mayflower Park by helicopter with former driver Eddie Jordan to launch the latest luxury powerboats from Poole and Portland -based Sunseeker.

Several of the Olympians then attended the show launch event of their sponsor Sperry Top-Sider, the Royal Yachting Association stand and then the Saltwater Communications Great British Celebration party, which toasted the achievements of the Team Sperry athletes.

The biggest on-water boat show in Europe, which runs until Sunday, features more than 1,000 boats and 500 exhibitors from all over the world.

More than 350 boats are on show on the purpose-built marina that boats more than two kilometres of pontoons. Show organisers are hoping to get 10,000 people out on the water with their Try-A-Boat and Get-A-Float programmes.

The owners of Portland’s Dean & Reddyhoff marked a key milestone at the Southampton Boat Show when they toasted the company’s 20th anniversary with champagne and a slice of cake.

The company began work on what is now Hasler Marina in September 1992 – transforming Haslar Creek’s mud flats into the modern 600-berth marina that so many yachtsmen enjoy visiting today at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour.

Richard Reddyhoff said: “We have come a long way since the early days of second-hand Portacabins at Haslar, progressively raising our standards to become the best in the business, and were proud to be selected to host the sailing events for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games at Portland Marina this summer.”