Robertson won gold with the "three blondes in a boat" in Athens

Robertson's new-look Yngling team was third behind former crew-mates Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb in July's World Championships, also an Olympic trial.

One team from each nation is allowed in each class in Beijing and Ayton's world champions are in pole position.

"It was a short campaign and I hope we get another chance to prove ourselves," Robertson, 37, told BBC Sport.

The Scot won gold with Ayton and Webb in the Yngling keelboat in Athens in 2004 but took time off afterwards to pursue other projects.

I'm really motivated to go to the Olympics and bring back a third gold medal Shirley Robertson

Ayton immediately launched her own campaign, switching from bow to helm, with Webb and Pippa Wilson.

Robertson gave birth to twins last summer, and then recruited a new team in November, joining forces with Annie Lush and Lucy Macgregor, to mount a challenge for a third straight Olympic gold medal.

"I'm obviously a proven performer," said Robertson, who also won Olympic gold in the single-handed Europe class in Sydney in 2000.

"I've been to the last four Olympic Games - the last two coming back with a prize.

Ayton (right) and her new team are in pole position for Beijing

"I hope they [the selectors] take that into consideration. And I hope they take into consideration as well that it was a short campaign and we achieved so much in such a short space of time.

"It's frustrating because we had a struggle during the winter to get back on track. Finally, we get there and just don't quite pull it off in one event.

"But I'm really enjoying being back and it would be terrible to cut that off now. I'm really motivated to go to the Olympics and bring back a third gold medal.

"We have a lot going on technically and have a lot more to give and I feel well placed to win next year in Beijing."

Ayton's victory in Cascais, Portugal, earned her team the right to represent Britain in the Olympic test event in Beijing this month.

Robertson's crew are hoping for another crack at Olympic selection

Robertson declined the invitation to travel as the back-up team to concentrate on developing her own programme.

An Ayton victory at the test event in Qingdao could finally sink her dream but Robertson is hopeful that the Royal Yachting Association, who will pick the British team for Beijing, will hold off their decision until after the next World Championships in January.

And she will be buoyed by the invitation to Ben Ainslie to take the British Finn dinghy slot in Qingdao, after the double Olympic gold medallist missed the World Championships because of America's Cup commitments.

"It's not in our hands any more. But we have a World Championships in Miami in January and I just hope they give us a chance to prove ourselves," said Robertson.

The 2007 Olympic Test Event, officially billed as the Good Luck Beijing 2007 Qingdao International Regatta, will run from 9-24 August at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre.

British sailors will compete in each of the 11 Olympic classes.