SASKIA Clark’s quest for Olympic glory in home waters has started with the news that she is teaming up with a new helm.

The 29-year-old Mersea sailor was disappointed to miss out on a medal in her debut Games in Beijing in August as she and Christina Bassadone finished sixth in the women’s 470 class, however, she is now joining forces with Penny Clark in a bid to win gold in London in 2012.

Like Saskia, Penny, who is 33 and from the West Midlands, was frustrated not to collect a medal in China after she finished tenth in the Laser Radial class and the duo have teamed up to put the record straight next time.

Meanwhile, Bassadone has announced that she will be pursuing her medal dreams in the single-handed Laser Radial class and Saskia told the Gazette that it was an amicable split as the pair decided to go their separate ways.

“It was a joint decision between Christina and I and was very amicable,” she said.

“We were a new crew in 2005 and it was great to come the distance we did in four years, but we both wanted to get gold in 2012.

“It is going to be hard work as Penny and I are a new partnership, but it is good to have a new challenge.

“With Christina, we would have been focusing on the minutae of detail for four years, but Penny and I will have some big progress to make and that will keep us motivated.

“I have known her since I was 16 and she is very clear in terms of decision-making, has a varied background and is very strong on the technical side and sail set-up.

“Penny and I are in this to get a gold medal and we both believe we can do that.”