Dempsey emerges as Britain's prime Olympic hope

(GETTY IMAGES)

In a merry-go-round of Olympic medallists, double gold medallist Sarah Dempsey (Ayton) has emerged as Britain's prime hope for a third gold in the women's division of the 470 dinghy at Weymouth in 2012.

She will be partnered by Saskia Clark, who was previously expected to team up with Pippa Wilson, who had been in Ayton's crew when adding gold in China to the first she won in the Yngling in Athens alongside Shirley Robertson in 2004.

Ayton took over at the last minute in Miami in January and will continue the partnership with Clark at the Hyeres Olympic regatta at the end of this month as Wilson has decided to take a break from sailing.

Ayton's husband Nick will be pursuing his bid for a second Olympic medal in the windsurfer class in 2012, but triple gold and silver medallist Ben Ainslie is not expected to return to the Finn singlehander class until the Sail for Gold regatta at Weymouth in August. He skippers Team Origin in the TP52 class, beginning in Portugal next month, then in the Louis Vuitton Trophy regatta in La Maddalena, Sardinia, and in four more regattas on the world match racing tour.