Meet the Olympic team: Dynamic duo are the best of friends

The duo, who met aged nine on the youth Sailing circuit, joined forces in January 2007.

Their friendship survived Percy beating Simpson to selection in the Finn heavyweight dinghy class for the Sydney Games in 2000.

Instead of recrimination, Simpson – who is nicknamed Bart by his teammates – went to Sydney as Percy’s training partner, helping him secure his first Olympic victory at the age of 24.

While campaigning for the Athens 2004 Games, Simpson was again edged out for Team GB selection – this time to Ben Ainslie , who had successfully switched from the Laser dinghy to the Finn.

Yet once again, the Sherborne star selflessly went to the Games to work as Ainslie’s training partner and again contributed to a gold medal winning victory in Greece.

Olympic gold medallist Percy meanwhile, had switched to the technical double-handed Star keelboat and campaigned for Athens 2004 with Steve Mitchell, but the pair disappointingly finished sixth in Greece.

In January 2007, Percy invited lifelong best mate Simpson to crew for him.

The pair claimed a Worlds bronze that summer but had an up-and-down build-up to the Beijing 2008 Games, including finishing 52nd at the Star Worlds earlier that year, and they began the Olympic regatta slowly.

Simpson, 35, said: “We went into lockdown and said, 'We’re not going home until we win this thing’.”

Going into the medal race they were back up to second and kept their composure in a nerve-wracking finale to finish ahead of regatta leaders Sweden and clinch gold.

“It was an incredible feeling and to do it with one of your best friends was just brilliant,” added Simpson. “Listening to the anthem I had to put my arm around Iain as he looked like he was going to break down.”

Percy, 36, said: “Winning in Sydney was amazing but winning in Beijing with my best mate has to be the highlight.

“To share the moment with someone I have known pretty much all my life was fantastic.”

In the build-up to London 2012, the duo have claimed a place on the podium at all of the 2012 ISAF World Cup events, including gold at the Hyeres French World Cup regatta, and 2012 Worlds silver.

And despite the pressure, their friendship has never faltered. Simpson said: “We argue at times on the water, as brothers more than anything, and are probably a bit harsh.

“You do have to keep working at the relationship. Sailing is a tough sport, there is a lot of tension to do well and you put yourself under a lot of pressure.

“Even if we argue we understand why we argue, it's only to try to do better.

“You’ve got to manifest it in the right way, otherwise it could be very detrimental to a friendship.”

Simpson started sailing aged six, with his father in Christchurch, Dorset and soon caught the sailing bug and decided that it was his passion.

He spent many weekends out training in various dinghies and was spotted by former Royal Yachting Assoication (RYA) National Racing coach, Jim Saltonstall, who began coaching Simpson from a young age and brought out the best in a clearly talented sailor, while at the same time making it fun.

Their London Olympics campaign was thrust into doubt at the 2011 World Championships in Perth when a back injury to Percy forced them to withdraw. The week after I hurt my back I was lying face down on a couch and there was a real worry," said Percy. But it's turned into a bit of a positive. I’ve always neglected my core training, thinking it's not going to make much difference.

“So I've been doing a lot of work protecting that and realised those trainers and physios were probably right.”

They returned to the World Cup circuit in April and have traded places at the top with Brazilian duo Robert Scheidt – Ainslie’s old nemesis – and Bruno Prada, who won silver in Bejiing.

Percy also started sailing when he was six years old. He went with the family on a ‘learn to sail’ course in the Isle of Wight.

His parents had never sailed but wanted their children to learn something they could all enjoy as a family.

For Percy it was the start of a inspirational career and he is one of just three British men ever to have won two Olympic sailing golds at different Games.

The International Star keelboat is 22ft long and the oldest Olympic Class, having made its first Games appearence in 1932 in Los Angeles.

The highly technical boat has an ultra sensitive rig, which needs the constant attention, from both the helm and crew.

Unlike most modern racing boats, the Star does not use a spinnaker when sailing downwind.

Star crew often adopt an extreme hiking position to balance out the heavy keelboat, using a harness to help hang low off the windward side of the boat with only their lower legs inside.

At last year’s Olympic test event the Percy and Simpson suffered major equipment problems earlier on in the regatta and started the day in fourth place and needed to beat their Polish and Irish rivals to win silver.

As they rounded the first windward mark in the lead, Simpson responded to the cheers from spectators at the Nothe by raising his fist in the air.

When racing begins this Sunday, up to 4,600 spectators will be descending on Nothe Gardens to watch the first Finn and Star races held in the Newton’s Cove area.

Thousands are expected to gather to watch the free public Live Site screens on Weymouth Beach.

Percy encouraged Weymouth and Portland residents and visitors to get the banners out and show their support for the British sailing team.

He said: “It will feel fantastic to have the whole country getting behind team GB.

“We will do our best to make the country proud.”

Simpson, who married his wife Leah in August 2009 and celebrated the birth of their son Freddie in June 2010, took his son up onto the podium with him at last year’s Olympic test event.

It seems his son got a taste for the glory.

Simpson added: “Freddie’s toddler club had an Olympic party recently.

“He loved it. He stood on top of podium. Hope his dad can too!”

Find out more about the British Sailing Team online at www.rya.org.uk/london2012/