PORTLAND'S Saskia Tidey believes her fighting performance at the recent Olympic sailing test event is the key to a third successive Games appearance.

The 30-year-old finished seventh in the women's 49erFX class alongside sailing partner Freya Black in Marseille, the duo combining on the water just 18 months ago.

And after the pair demonstrated their attacking mindset during the final medal race in France, Tidey is convinced that they will be ones to watch as they chase Paris 2024 qualification.

"We're really quite thrilled," she said, after the pair finished fourth in the medal race.

READ MORE: Three British sailors on the podium in Marseille

"To have made it into the medal race after a really good day on the water before and then finishing seventh overall is great.

"We came here to build on our year last year and keep on that trajectory of our goal of the Olympics.

"We went out and tried to win that medal race, we were winning for most of it, and we have a lot of things that we've learnt so we're pretty happy.

"It's funny that when you look at the results sheet at the end of the week, we finished seventh overall but lost a lot of points in some glaring and obvious places.

"But thankfully we can work on that this winter.

"We only started sailing together a year and a half ago and Freya hasn't been in this boat for long, so we have put together some real fight this year.

"We feel like we're on track and it's really exciting to have some things to chase."

Marseille will become a sailing powerhouse next summer as it plays host to all sailing disciplines at Paris 2024, with the test event acting as a prime opportunity for the best sailors from around the world to get a feel for the French waters.

Tidey is already a two-time Olympian, finishing sixth alongside former sailing partner Charlotte Dobson in the women's 49erFX at Tokyo 2020.

And the sailor was thrilled to be back in a mock Olympic environment in Marseille, emotions running high with the chance to earn Great Britain an Olympic quota spot at the upcoming World Championships next month.

"It's been quite an emotional week," she said.

"It's out first glimpse of the Games and us as a team and it feels like only yesterday we were in Tokyo.

"You start to feel like every point matter, what can be and what you can lost.

"It's amazing opportunity to have had this test ahead of next year.

"We have another massive event coming up with the World Championships in The Hague with could help us qualify Team GB for the Olympic Games."

*From Friday, August 11 to Sunday, August 20, follow the British Sailing Team at the upcoming Sailing World Championships in The Hague, Netherlands, on Instagram at @britishsailing.