SASKIA Clark has put her Rio trepidation behind her as she prepares to race at sailing’s final Olympic Test Event, starting tomorrow.

The 2012 silver medallist says she and partner Hannah Mills have had ‘somewhat mixed’ experiences of the 2016 Games venue after they were mugged during a training trip in December.

But they’re chalking that up to unfortunate experience and are learning to make the Brazilian host city a home from home in their quest for an Olympic medal upgrade next year, with the countdown clock now showing just less than one year to go to the big event.

“We’ve thought a lot about it all since (December), and how to frame Rio in a positive light as it’s really important that we enjoy spending our time there,” the 35-year-old Clark explained.

“We’re going to spend a lot more time there over the next year so it’s really important that we did a bit of a u-turn on our feelings about the place in time for the trip.

“We’re really pleased that we’ve come back with the rest of the British Sailing Team this time, and we’ve been really organised with our on the water time and also our free time.”

Clark and Mills are among the 15 sailors selected to compete at the Aquece Rio International Regatta – the second official Test Event for the sport and the final official dress rehearsal for the Rio 2016 organisers on Guanabara Bay.

The British team for the Test Event replicates the size of the team which will compete at the Olympic Games in 2016, with just one boat per country permitted to compete in each of 10 classes.

Clark and Mills are still vying for selection to the Games itself, and the Portland-based two-time Olympian admits she is feeling ‘excited’ as the clock ticks more loudly towards a potential third Olympic Games.

“I’m feeling really positive and motivated as we hit the year to go to the Games,” Clark added.

“It’s no secret that Hannah and I struggled to get the wheels back on our campaign for a good year to 18 months after London and so all the milestones we go past now on the way to Rio are really motivating and exciting.”