Saskia Clark

{{Infobox sailor

| name = Saskia Clark
MBE

| image = Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark - Olympic Parade - Weymouth & Portland (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark in 2012

| nationality = British

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|08|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Colchester, Essex, UK

| classes = Optimist, 470

| club =

| collegeteam =

| coach =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}

| show-medals = yes

| updated =

}}

Saskia Clark (born 23 August 1979 in Colchester, Essex) is a British sailor and Olympic Gold medalist. She competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics and she was selected, along with Hannah Mills, to sail in the 470 Women's class for Team GB. They went on to win silver at the 2012 Olympic games and a gold medal at the 2016 games.

Life

Saskia started sailing at Dabchicks Sailing Club in an Optimist when she was 8 years old{{cite news|title=Saskia Clark|url=http://www.skysports.com/olympics/story/0,23911,14935_7164445,00.html|accessdate=18 March 2012|newspaper=Sky Sports|date=9 September 2011}}

She came 6th in the 2008 Summer Olympics sailing in the 470 class with Christina Bassadone.{{cite news|title=Clark pleased with progress|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/sport/2238438.clark_pleased_with_progress/|accessdate=18 March 2012|newspaper=Daily Gazette|date=1 May 2008}} She was set to sail with Sarah Ayton in the 2012 Summer Olympics, but Sarah retired to focus on her family life. Saskia was then paired with Hannah Mills.{{cite news|title=Saskia Clark's new helm Hannah Mills give her renewed hope of a medal|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8343696/Olympic-Sailing-Saskia-Clarks-new-helm-Hannah-Mills-give-her-renewed-hope-of-a-medal.html|accessdate=18 March 2012|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=23 February 2011}}

At the 2011 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta and the 2011 Weymouth & Portland International Regatta, Saskia won a Silver medal in the 470 Women class.{{cite web|title=ISAF Sailor Profile|url=http://www.sailing.org/biog.php?id=GBRSC15|publisher=ISAF|accessdate=14 January 2012}}

After they suffered a black flag in the first race of the championships, Saskia and her helm Hannah claimed Gold at the 2012 470 World Championships in Barcelona.{{cite news|title=Mills and Clark make history with first 470 Worlds win|url=http://www.rya.org.uk/skandiateamgbr/latestnews/pages/articlewrapper.aspx?pageUrl=%2Fnewsevents%2Fnews%2FPages%2FMillsandClarkinthehistorybookswithfirst470Worldswin.aspx|accessdate=19 May 2012|newspaper=RYA.org.uk}}

Saskia was awarded a Honorary MSc in 2013 and an Honorary Doctorate in 2017 by the University of Chichester.{{Cite web |title=Honorary Awards |url=https://www.chi.ac.uk/alumni/honorary-awards/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=University of Chichester |language=en-GB}}

Clark was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to sailing.{{London Gazette|issue=61803|supp=y|page=N16|date=31 December 2016}}

References

External links

{{sports links}}
[http://www.millsandclark.co.uk/ 470 Girls Official Website]
[http://www.rya.org.uk/skandiateamgbr/meettheteam/pages/saskia-clark.aspx RYA Profile]

Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Colchester

Category:Olympic sailors for Great Britain

Category:English female sailors (sport)

Category:Sailors at the 2008 Summer Olympics – 470

Category:Sailors at the 2012 Summer Olympics – 470

Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain

Category:Olympic medalists in sailing

Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Category:420 class world champions

Category:470 class world champions