How sailing's new dream team plotted a course for glory while drowning their sorrows

The wind was raging when Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark put to sea on Monday off the coast of Weymouth where, in 12 days time, they will begin sailing in pursuit of Olympic glory.

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But then they have weathered a succession of storms during a remarkable 18 months when they have risen from the depths of despair to a position where they will go to the 2012 Olympic regatta as reigning world champions in the women's 470 class.

According to dailymail.co.uk partnership was formed during a drunken night out designed to drown Clark's sorrows after she was cast adrift when her sailing partner Sarah Ayton, a double Olympic gold medallist as one of the 'Blondes in a Boat' at Athens and Beijing, decided to retire in January 2011.

'I thought it was game over,' said Clark. 'Sarah had a young son and she decided her responsibility was to him and her husband, Nick.'

At some point before the evening lost direction, Clark and Mills, who was disillusioned about her own Olympic prospects, discussed teaming up to sail together in the future.

'It was a very long shot for me to get into the Olympics at that point with the partner I was with,' said Mills. 'When we'd sobered up, I went to a training camp in Majorca. We both had three or four days to think over what we wanted to do. I was keen to have Sas as my crew. For me, it was a huge step-up to have someone of her experience.

'A couple of days later I had to tell the girl I was sailing with that it was over. It was awful, like breaking up with someone. But she was understanding and realised it was a great opportunity for me.'

Clark packed a bag and flew to Majorca to begin an odyssey that involved one battle after another. Only one boat could win a place at the Olympics and Clark and Mills found themselves in a duel with Penny Clark and Katrina Hughes.

Ultimately, the Sail for Gold regatta in Weymouth, in June last year, determined who would be sailing towards the Olympics and who would be heartbroken. 'It was all or nothing for Hannah and me,' said Clark. 'We threw everything into one regatta to stake our claim.'

It was a trial of strength and endeavour and it led to them sweeping the verdict of the RYA's selection jury last September. They have never looked back, winning the world title in Barcelona in May.

Their partnership is based on candour and trust.

At first appearance, they seem an unlikely double act. At 32, Clark is eight years older than Mills, who helms their boat. She is in a long-term relationship with Paul Goodison, a laser class gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics four years ago. Mills is single, having broken up in recent months from her boyfriend. Yet there is an obvious chemistry between them that works on land, as well as at sea.

Mills brings with her the fieriness of a sailing apprenticeship in her native Wales. 'Since sailing with Sas, having someone in the boat I really respect has calmed me down,' said Mills. 'It has made me focus on what's important.'

'I still get fired up at times but aggression needs to be controlled, especially in a double-handed boat. It's no good if one of you is shouting and the other goes into her shell. We put a high emphasis on getting the chemistry right, of setting the tone of the boat right.'

Their next objective was to persuade the team management that they would improve their prospects of becoming contenders for Olympic gold if they could engage Joe Glanfield to coach them. 'Our old coach had done a great job in getting us as far as we had but we  considered Joe to be the last piece in the puzzle,' said Mills.

Glanfield, twice an Olympic 470 silver medallist, had the experience to push Mills and Clark to the next level. 'Joe always thrived in an Olympic environment and we thought that was important to learn from,' said Clark. 'Hannah is going to her first Games and I didn't particularly thrive in Beijing.'

Clark and Mills will compete in 11 races over the Olympic courses in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour, from August 3-10. While the British team do not have a significant home advantage, they do have a tradition to maintain as the most successful Olympic sailing nation with 25 gold, 14 silver and 11 bronze medals.

'Most of our rivals have been living here much of the time over the past two years. It's very open water, unlike at the Beijing Games when we couldn't get access to the facilities,' said Clark.

On Monday they move into a shared flat at the British team's Olympic apartment block in Portland, near Weymouth. 'I always dreamed of going to the Olympics,' said Mills. 'To be going to the Games in your own country is another thing, to do it as a potential medallist is another thing again. To be doing it with Sas is wicked.'

Clark is similarly inspired by what lies ahead but she knows better than to get carried away by the expectations of others. 'We have worked hard with Joe to build for a calm regatta at the Olympics,' she said. 'All the noise around the Games is irrelevant. It's all about those 11 races.'