Sophie Ainsworth is now under two months away from her Olympic dream becoming a reality and believes this week’s World Cup in Weymouth will serve as perfect preparation.

The Ashford sailor will team up with Charlotte Dobson to take on the sport’s elite at the Sailing World Cup regatta at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, which is contested from Wednesday until Sunday.

The duo achieved an impressive fifth place in the women’s 49erFX at the World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina last year will represent Team GB at their first Olympic Games in Rio in early August.

Ainsworth believes linking up with coach Mark Asquith in late 2015 has helped her and Dobson immeasurably and insists the pair could not be in a better place.

She said: “Before working with Mark, we definitely knew we could improve because there are always areas that can get better.

"Between the team we knew that we could do it but it was just putting it into practice – working on the weaknesses and building on the strengths."

“This week in Weymouth we want to be on the podium. For us this is a practice regatta for the Olympics and it is all about the outcome."

While some sports are yet to announce their squads for Rio 2016, sailing’s first names were confirmed as far back as last September although Ainsworth and Dobson had to wait until March for their call.

That still gave them five months of preparation time, however, and Ainsworth has enjoyed the challenge of getting ready for the 49erFX event, which will make its Olympic debut this summer.

“Because it has never been in the Olympics before, there isn’t a set pathway meaning you had people coming from laser radials, from 470s,” explained the 26-year-old.

“The 49erFX is such a team dynamic boat and you’re so dependent on who you sail with and what your strengths or weaknesses are, so it’s incredibly exciting. And I’ve definitely got the perfect partner in Charlotte.”

Tickets for the Sailing World Cup Weymouth and Portland, to be held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy from 6-12 June, are available at www.rya.org.uk/go/swcgb. The National Lottery-funded British Sailing Team is proudly supported by official partners Volvo Car UK, Zhik and Peters & May. Follow the team’s latest news and updates at britishsailingteam.com or on Twitter @BritishSailing