‘We know our roles’

Hannah Mills has been used to racing against time ever since she joined forces with Saskia.

Mills, who is originally from Cardiff but now lives in the Rodwell area of Weymouth, said: “We’ve shown everyone that we’re still there and we’re not going away and as a team we’ve learned lots of new things which is good.”

After clinching silver at both Sail for Gold 2011 and the Olympic test event, which secured them official Team GB selection, Weymouth’s 470 Girls quickly become hot favourites to end the Games with silverware around their necks.

Mills believes good communication on the water is the key to securing success. She added: “It was all kind of flung together a bit last year with no system or anything of how we did it. But on the water we now know what each other’s role is in each condition and the best way to get across what we need to say without doing it in a hundred words.

Rapid success a surprise

IT’S BEEN a whistle-stop 18 months for Weymouth’s Saskia Clark who has gone from being partner-less at a crucial time to an Olympic medal favourite.

Clark initially teamed up with two-time Olympic champion Sarah Ayton to campaign for home Games selection in the 470 dinghy class, after Ayton’s boat of choice – the Yngling keelboat – was dropped from the London 2012 line-up.

The duo made steady progress but when Ayton announced her shock retirement in February 2011 after finding it too much combining being a full-time athlete and a new mum, Clark faced a worrying time.

With just months to go before the Skandia Sail for Gold regatta 2011 – a selection trial for the Olympic test event – the Olympian decided to pair up with up-and-coming 470 helm Hannah Mills.

Their rapid success has surprised even Clark herself.

After claiming a string of medals, they became the first British sailors to win the women's 470 World Championships in May.

Clark, 31, said: “Hannah and I always thought we could qualify, it was just whether we could have enough time.

“We surprised ourselves how quickly it came together and we both feel really lucky.”

Mills, 25, and Clark, 31, knew each other through friends and had sailed against each other but had no idea how they would gel as a team.

They were so nervous at Sail for Gold last year they did not eat or sleep for a week.

Clark added: “It was pretty much a do or die regatta for me and Hannah. We knew if we did well we could gain Olympic test event selection. We didn’t eat or sleep at all.

“It’s really good having had that experience to know we can still perform under those kind of nerves.”

Despite being an ‘Essex girl at heart’, Clark enjoys living in Wyke Regis with her Olympic Laser champion boyfriend Paul Goodison .