A wave of Hong Kong sailing talent is preparing to make its mark at the upcoming National Games with the SAR sending eight athletes to compete in four events in Shanwei, Guangdong.

The team features seven first-time competitors at these Games, including Peter Jessop and Nancy Highfield, who are both eager to test their skills on a major national stage.

Seventeen-year-old Jessop will be competing in the men's single dinghy ILCA 7 event, a significant step up after recently transitioning from the smaller ILCA 6 class.

"I think one of the most challenging parts is trying to gain the weight and trying to get strong and fit for the ILCA 7, because before I was in the ILCA 6 junior class, going against youths," he said.

"But now I'm in the ILCA 7, I'm racing against senior boys and senior men, and it's going to be a very challenging fight and it's going to be a very physical battle for sure."

Despite the tougher competition, Jessop is embracing the opportunity.

He expressed his pride in representing Hong Kong for the first time at a major event and vowed to give his all against what he describes as a "very strong and skilled" field of mainland sailors.

Highfield will be competing in the women's single dinghy ILCA 6 event, fresh off a fifth-place finish at the ILCA Asian and Open Championships in June.

While confident, she maintains focused on continuous improvement.

"I think that I still have a lot of things to work on and because that's a process, I just keep focused on improving and treating each race as a challenge, and that's inevitably going to be the best way forward in the long run," she said.

The sailing events at the National Games are scheduled to run from October 20 to 29.