Sir Ben Ainslie wants to win the America’s Cup with a British team after helping Team USA to one of sport’s great comeback victories against New Zealand in San Francisco yesterday.
The Macclesfield-born four-time Olympic champion helped Oracle surge to victory by 44 seconds in the winner-take-all race 19 to retain the Cup they won in 2010, the Americans having at one stage trailed 8-1.
However Ainslie, along with his international crew including twice America’s Cup winning skipper Jimmy Spithill of Australia, came back against the odds and now the Englishman is eager to see more British involvement in the world’s oldest international sporting competition.
“The America’s Cup started in 1851 in British shores and it’s about time we brought it back,” Ainslie told ITV news.
“We have the talent it’s now just about putting it all together.
“We need the [financial] support and I hope this event has opened people’s eyes to what’s possible.”
After the victory Ainslie admitted to thinking about his friend and fellow Olympic champion Andrew Simpson, who died in the same San Francisco harbour in May during a training session.
“I had Andrew in my mind a lot, certainly when I crossed the line,” Ainslie told a news conference.
“He would have loved it. It was a very special moment.”
Image courtesy of Chatani via WikiMediaCommons, with thanks.
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