Ainslie: Britannia can rule the waves

SAILING: Four-time Olympic champion Ben Ainslie is confident his £80 million (€99m) America’s Cup team can follow the example of Team Sky’s cycling success at the Tour de France and bring sailing’s oldest trophy back to British shores.

Ainslie, 37, was part of Oracle Team USA which secured a dramatic 9-8 win over Team New Zealand in San Francisco last autumn, and is determined to repeat that success with a homegrown team come 2017.

Ben Ainslie Racing has been backed by the likes of co-founder of Carphone Warehouse, Charles Dunstone, and deputy chairman of the London Organising Committee of the 2012 Olympic Games, Keith Mills while experienced New Zealand America’s Cup campaigner Jono McBeth will be sailing team manager.