RACHEL Howe is embarking on a seven-year Olympic dream which she hopes will culminate in glory at the 2012 London Games.

The 22-year-old from High Wycombe has been named in Great Britain's development squad for the Yngling sailing class.

Howe says competing in an Olympics on home soil would be a dream come true.

She said: "It's an unbeatable feeling. The competition will be taking place in Weymouth and there's already a buzz around the place. It's going to be amazing"

Howe and her crew of Gemma Farrell and Rachel Larman will now embark on a gruelling training schedule alongside Britain's elite boat which won gold in Athens 2004.

Shirley Robertson, Sarah Webb and Sarah Ayton enjoyed success in Greece when the Yngling, a three-person keelboat, made its Olympic debut.

The hope is that Howe's development squad will peak for London 2012 but the former pupil at Wycombe High hasn't ruled out pinching Britain's qualifying place for the 2008 Beijing Games.

Howe said: "As a team we have to believe we can beat the performance boat. I know we will at some stage, it's just a case of whether it's in time for Beijing.

"It's down to our training and our results in the major Championships during the season."

The Yngling, which means youngster, was invented in 1967 by Norwegian Jan Lingel, for his son.

Howe was in the final year of her degree at Cambridge University for the 2004 Games but managed to catch the action on television.

In 2012, it will be the turn of her friends and family to watch it on the box.

Mum Madeleine said: "The prospect of seeing Rachel competing in the London Games will be absolutely amazing. The feeling will be a combination of fantastic pride and excitement plus it's my baby and you want the very best for them.

"It would be a fairytale."

Anyone looking to find out more or support Rachel's Olympic bid, can do so by emailing receh2@hotmail.com