WEYMOUTH and Portland-based sailors including Bryony Shaw and Giles Scott can start preparing for Rio after the identities of the first athletes selected to represent Team GB at next year’s Olympics were revealed.

Former Olympic medallists Shaw and Saskia Clark, who both live in Weymouth, are joined in the team by Scott and his fellow Portland residents Hannah Mills, Alison Young and Luke Patience.

Nick Thompson and Elliot Willis, Patience’s partner in the men’s 470, were the two other sailors in the first eight named by the British Olympic Association yesterday.

World champion Scott’s is the first name to appear on the Rio teamsheet, with the 28-year-old, unbeaten in almost two years, set to make his Olympic debut in the Finn class.

“I have been trying to get to the Games for a long time and I suppose it’s something that always seemed miles out of reach, a bit of a dream,” he admitted.

“To be in the position to be selected to Team GB is a huge honour and to be going is a lifelong ambition. But clearly I want more from it than just to say I went.”

Shaw, who became Britain’s first female Olympic medal-winning windsurfer with bronze at Beijing 2008, is set to contest her third Olympic Games next year in the RS:X women’s event.

She said: “Being selected for the Games for the third time feels just as special as the first time I think.

“It was a shock to be nominated this time, but I can be proud of the results I have had this year so far.

“I have worked really hard to peak for those key regattas including the European Championships, which I think has been the highlight so far.

“It’s a huge honour to be able to have a career that you can have three chances at the Olympic Games.

“It is incredible but also I feel that my experience from the previous two Games will really set me up as a top contender for the gold this time round.”

London 2012 silver medallists Mills and Clark are paired together again in the 470 women’s class, while Patience, who also won silver three years ago, teams up with two-time world champion Willis.

“London was obviously amazing, it was a home Games and the home support we got was just the most unexpected and surreal experience,” added Mills.

“With Rio what’s really going to be cool is the fact that we are going to be in the city, right in the hub of where the Olympics are going to be with all the other sports and I think that is going to be super exciting to really feel a part of that.

“It’s going to be very different to London and I think embracing that is going to be key and I just can’t wait.”

Clark added: “We have a lot to learn to about the venue in Rio and obviously we are really pleased to have come away from both Test Events with a medal, not the win, but medals prove we’re close.”

While Patience added: “You dream about a single thing for so many years of your life, certainly all of my adult life in my case, so to get the call saying you’re selected for the Olympics is just so good, such an honour.”

London 2012 Olympian Young returns in the Laser Radial, and she said: “It’s great being part of the British Sailing Team and at the Games when we all come together as Team GB it adds another level to that, so I’m really excited and it’s a great privilege to represent the UK.”

British sailors have established a proud tradition of excellence in Olympic competition, having won 55 medals – including 26 golds – since sailing made its debut at Paris 1900 with Team GB topping the overall Olympic sailing medal table.