PARALYMPIC sailing star Megan Pascoe is looking forward to a tough fight for British team selection to compete on home waters in 2012.

The 24-year-old of Fortuneswell, Portland, is up against her Skandia Team GBR team-mate Helena Lucas in the campaign to represent the country in the International 2.4m metre keelboat class.

Lucas, 35, who finished seventh at the Beijing Games, is a tough contender but Pascoe believes the close contest will give whoever triumphs “the best chance of winning a medal in 2012”.

Last Sunday saw the two-year countdown to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, while Wednesday marked two years to go until the Paralympic sailing events begin in the borough.

Pascoe achieved her first ever World Championship podium finish in July this year and finished fifth at the 2010 Sail for Gold in Weymouth.

Sailors treated Sail for Gold as an unofficial test event and Pascoe said the “huge” closing ceremony gave everyone a taste of what the Games will be like.

She said: “We’re now looking forward to selection for 2012, that’s at the start of June next year. There’s two of us going for the 2.4 spot and it’s about 50/50 at the moment.

“It’s going to be tight but that’s good.

“If it’s tough actually getting to the Games then it’s going to make whoever goes very good.”

Pascoe, who was born with cerebral palsy and has a loss of control down her right side, began sailing aged two and competed in the ‘able-bodied’ Optimist dinghy before switching to the Paralympic sailing.

Although her disability causes frustration when she cannot do what she wants in the very physical sport of sailing, Pascoe thrives on competing on the level playing field that the sport provides.

She said: “Paralympic sailing is so different to any other Paralympic sport, it’s mixed gender to start with and the British team has the highest proportion of females to men.

“The 2.4 is amazing, it doesn’t matter who you’re sailing against or what disability you have, it’s a totally level playing field.

“The 2.4 was designed as an able-bodied boat and was only picked as a disabled boat because it fits it perfectly.

“Some of the guys are quadriplegic with broken necks, some have missing arms, it’s amazing to see the disabilities and how when you get on the water it doesn’t make a difference.

“You still have to go round and beat them on the course.”