London 2012 Olympics: Lucy MacGregor in pursuit of improvement with eye to Games

“Lucy might be ranked No 1 in the world but she hasn’t won the last four World Cup events so this is about ticking all the boxes because the Olympic Games is about winning one event,” said Stephen Park, Skandia Team GBR manager.

“We have three teams entered here and they are all pretty much new teams. We can’t expect too much from Pippa because she has only been doing match racing for two weeks but it is fantastic to have her back.”

There could be a further switch if the teams do not fare well in Weymouth, where the regatta is being held at the same time as the Olympic Games in two years’ time.

Due to the need for sailors to familiarise themselves with the constantly changing Weymouth conditions, the event has attracted the largest number of boats of any ISAF World Cup event with 720 entries from 57 nations, including 129 from Britain.

Ben Ainslie has modestly targeted a top-10 place in the Finn class owing to his lack of preparation for the event and Beijing Star gold medallists Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson, who have been racing alongside Ainslie in Team Origin’s intensive 2010 programme, are praying for light conditions that suit them.

“We have not been in the boat since the Star worlds in January,” said Percy, who will be up against Brazilian Torben Grael, winner of five Olympic medals.

“It is not an ideal way to prepare but it is one step along the way to 2012. It will allow us to keep our hand in with the class and Skandia Team GBR and to learn more about the venue which we haven’t sailed in much over the past five years.

“It might bite us in the bum if it is very windy and we are unfit but a tricky light wind day where you are having fun, can work in your favour.”