Ben Ainslie

Last updated

Sir
Ben Ainslie
CBE
Ben Ainslie (GBR) 2021.jpg
Sir Ben Ainslie in 2020
Personal information
Full nameCharles Benedict Ainslie
NationalityFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Born (1977-02-05) 5 February 1977 (age 47)
Macclesfield, Cheshire, England
Weight90 kg (198 lb) [1]
Spouse
​
(m. 2014)​
Sailing career
Class(es) Finn, Laser, Optimist, America's Cup
Medal record
Sailing
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Event1st2nd3rd
Olympic Games 410
Olympic Class World Championship803
Other Sailing World 311
Total1524
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2000 Sydney Laser
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2004 Athens Finn
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2008 Beijing Finn
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2012 London Finn
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1996 Atlanta Laser
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1993 Takapuna Laser Radial
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1995 Hamilton Laser (Youth)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1998 Laser
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1999 Melbourne Laser
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2002 Athens Finn
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2003 Cádiz Finn
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2004 Rio de Janeiro Finn
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2005 Moscow Finn
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2008 Melbourne Finn
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 Tour Match Racing
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2012 Falmouth Finn
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1996 Simon's Town Laser
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1997 Algarrobo Laser
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2000 Cancun Laser
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2009 Brighton Etchells

Sir Charles Benedict Ainslie CBE (born 5 February 1977) is a British former competitive sailor. Ainslie is the most successful sailor in Olympic history. He won medals at five consecutive Olympics from 1996 onwards, including gold at the four consecutive Games (Sydney, Athens, Beijing & London) held between 2000 and 2012. [2] [3]

Contents

He is one of three athletes to win medals in five different Olympic Games in sailing, being the third person to win five Olympic medals in that sport (after Torben Grael and Robert Scheidt) and also the second to win four gold medals, after Paul Elvstrøm. [3] [4]

Ben is Team Principal, CEO and Skipper of INEOS Britannia.

After a decade of attempting to win the America's Cup for Britain, with little more than a sustainability design award for the now deserted HQ in Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Ben retired from sailing in 2024 to focus on his podcast and skin care range. Quoted by the BBC"I'm the CEO of both Emirates GBR and the Ineos Britannia America's Cup Team, I've got a few different business interests and most importantly I'm a husband and father, and at some point you've got to realise that you can't do everything."


Early life

Ainslie was born in Macclesfield, England to Roddy and Sue Ainslie. Roddy captained a boat that took part in the first Whitbread Round The World Race in 1973. [5] Ben's elder sister, Fleur, is married to Jerome Pels, former secretary general of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). [5] Ainslie was educated at two independent schools: at the Terra Nova School in a rural area near the village of Holmes Chapel in Cheshire in north west England, and Truro School in the city of Truro, Cornwall, followed by Peter Symonds Sixth Form, Winchester, Hampshire. [6]

Career

Ainslie learned to sail at Restronguet Creek near Falmouth, Cornwall. [7]

He started sailing at the age of eight and first competed at the age of ten. [8] His first international competition was aged twelve at the 1989 Optimist world championships held in Japan where he placed 73rd.

Olympics

Ainslie won silver at the 1996 Olympic Games and gold in the 2000 Summer Olympics in the Laser class. He gained some 18 kilograms (40 lb; 2 st 12 lb) and moved to the larger Finn class for the 2004 Summer Olympics, where he won gold, a feat he repeated in the 2008 and 2012 competitions. Both his gold medal winning Laser and Finn dinghies are currently displayed at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

On 19 May 2012, Ainslie became the first person to carry the Olympic torch in the UK. Starting the 70-day tour of the United Kingdom at Land's End, he was the first of 8,000 torch carriers. [9] He was selected on 11 August 2012 to carry the flag for the Great Britain team at the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony. [10]

World Championship

World Championships titles

Other World Championships results

At the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships he was in a winning position going into the closing stages of the regatta but was disqualified under rule 69 (gross misconduct) for physically threatening a photographer. Ainslie felt the photographer's boat's wake had prevented him from passing a competitor. [12]

Other significant results

America's Cup

Sir Ben Ainslie with fans in 2014 Sir Charles Benedict Ainslie with fans in 2014.jpg
Sir Ben Ainslie with fans in 2014

At the beginning of 2005 Ainslie worked in the role of tactician in the New Zealand-based Team New Zealand who were preparing to compete in the challenger selection process to win the right to Challenge for the 32nd America's Cup. In May 2005 Ainslie took the decision to relinquish the role of tactician and focus on improving his match racing skills as helmsman of the 'B' boat used to practice and tune the race boat helmed by Dean Barker.

Ainslie figure headed a British challenge for the Cup alongside Sir Keith Mills the team was named Team Origin. However this challenge withdrew without competing following a period of discussion regarding the future format of the event.

For the 2013 America's Cup, Ainslie was recruited as a tactician by Oracle Team USA, as a replacement for John Kostecki during an Oracle practice session on 11 September 2013. [15] On 12 September, the following day, he replaced Kostecki going into race six of the 2013 America's Cup. [16] His Oracle Team USA beat Team New Zealand in the America's Cup decider in San Francisco on 25 September. [17]

In January 2012, Ben Ainslie announced the formation of an eponymous team to compete in the America's Cup: Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR). His team competed in the AC45 class of the 2011–13 America's Cup World Series, [18] 2014 Extreme Sailing Series and set a multihull record for the Round the Island Race. The team won the 2015–16 America's Cup World Series but were eliminated in the semi-finals of the 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy competition to determine the challenger for the 2017 America's Cup.

In April 2018 Ainslie announced the Americas Cup team would be renamed INEOS TEAM UK in partnership with INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Again based out of the Portsmouth HQ the team are building two new 75-foot foiling monohull yachts to compete for the 36th Americas Cup set to take place in Auckland, New Zealand in 2021.

On 21 October 2020, Ben and INEOS TEAM UK launched their race boat for the 36th America's Cup from their HQ in Auckland, naming the AC75 race boat 'Britannia' Following a disappointing performance in the Auckland ACWS event in December 2020, the team spent the following three weeks making modifications to their boat Britannia ahead of the start of the Prada Cup qualifying series. This included a new mast and sails as well as modifications to the hull and foils. The team received support from INEOS sponsored Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.

INEOS Team UK dominated the Round Robin phase of the Prada Cup which saw them race and beat each of the two other challenger teams three times, securing their place in the Prada Cup Final beginning on 13 February 2021. The team's place in the Prada Cup final marked a significant point in their campaign, being the furthest any British challenge had progressed in the competition since the introduction of a challenger selection series.

After Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli's win in the Prada Cup Semi-Finals against American Magic, the American team was eliminated from the event, securing the Italian team's place in the Prada Cup Final alongside INEOS Team UK.

The Prada Cup Finals were held in predominantly light wind (8-14 knots), with Luna Rossa showing great improvement in boat handling, winning the first 5 races consecutively. INEOS Team UK showed superior downwind pace in Race 6, taking their sole race win before Luna Rossa dominated Day 4 to take their sixth and seventh race win, winning the Prada Cup overall, and securing their place in the 36th America's Cup Match against Emirates Team New Zealand.

World Match Racing Tour

In December 2010, Ainslie finished in first place in the World Match Racing Tour, and is the 2010 ISAF Match Racing Champion.

The Extreme Sailing Series

In January 2014, it was announced that Ainslie would compete in the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series as part of his preparation for the America's Cup. The eight-race event will see him compete in a 40 feet (12 m) multi-hull boat. [19]

Personal life

Ainslie lives in Seaview on the Isle of Wight and belongs to the Sea View Yacht Club and is an honorary member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. He was coached by David (Sid) Howlett, who raced a Finn dinghy at the 1976 Summer Olympics. He supports Chelsea. [5]

In August 2014, Ainslie was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue. [20]

On 20 December 2014, Ainslie married former Sky Sports News presenter Georgie Thompson. [21] The couple have a daughter, Bellatrix, born in 2016. [22] and a son, Fox, born in 2021. [23]

Awards and honours

[35]

[36]

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References

  1. ↑ "Ben Ainslie". teamgb.com.
  2. ↑ Paul Gittings; Brooke Bowman (24 April 2013). "Ben Ainslie's ambition: Sailing hero takes on America's Cup challenge". CNN. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 Morris, Steven (5 August 2012). "Ben Ainslie wins his fourth Olympic gold medal for Great Britain". The Guardian . Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Ben Ainslie wins fourth Olympics sailing gold medal". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Elaine Bunting (5 August 2012). "20 things about Ben Ainslie". yachtingworld.com. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Ben Ainslie profile". Sailor Biography. ISAF UK. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  7. ↑ Steven Morris (18 May 2012). "Ben Ainslie's Olympic torch run sets course for London Games". The Guardian.
  8. ↑ "About Ben". benainslie.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  9. ↑ "Ben Ainslie Starts the Torch Relay". BBC News. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "Ben Ainslie to carry British flag at Olympics closing ceremony". BBC Sport. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  11. ↑ Finn World Website Press Release Archived 18 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine , falmouthfinnfestival.com; accessed 11 April 2014.
  12. ↑ "Ben Ainslie disqualified from World Championships after TV row". The Guardian . 10 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  13. ↑ "- Press Releases – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles EMEA Press". Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  14. ↑ "Grant Dalton introduces the team". scoop.co.nz. 14 June 2004.
  15. ↑ Ben Ainslie. "Ainslie in tactician's role for practice session". New Zealand: Stuff. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  16. ↑ "Ben Ainslie Steers America's Cup Comeback", Sky.com; retrieved 24 September 2013.
  17. ↑ "Ben Ainslie's USA beat Team New Zealand in decider". BBC Sport. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  18. ↑ Ainslie defends Oracle cup role, Independent, 11 January 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Sir Ben Ainslie to compete in Extreme Sailing Series". BBC Sport. 8 January 2014.
  20. ↑ "Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories". Politics. The Guardian . London. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  21. ↑ "Ben Ainslie Marries". YBW. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Always Sunny in Ainslie Land". 26 July 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  23. ↑ @AinslieBen (14 July 2021). "Big moment for our little family @OfficiallyGT😘" (Tweet) – via Twitter. Welcome to the World Fox Ainslie ❤️Our second miracle baby being adored by our first ❤️ We couldn't be more grateful, more humbled or more amazed by those who helped ⁦@AinslieBen⁩ and I make this moment a reality or more in love with our little fox cub ❤️ ⁦
  24. ↑ United Kingdom list: "No. 56070". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2000. p. 13.
  25. ↑ University of Chichester (26 September 2013). "Honorary Graduate Ben Ainslie inspires America's Cup Win". University of Chichester. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  26. ↑ "No. 56070". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2000. p. 13.
  27. ↑ "No. 57509". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2004. p. 9.
  28. ↑ University of Exeter (2015). "Honorary Graduates of the University". University of Exeter . Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  29. ↑ Matt Smith (14 September 2007). "University to honour Olympian Ben". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  30. ↑ Karenza Morton (12 December 2008). "Vote for Ben !". The Daily Sail. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  31. ↑ BBC Sport: Bradley Wiggins wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year; BBC, accessed 17 December 2012.
  32. ↑ "No. 58929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2008. p. 7.
  33. ↑ "No. 60367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 2012. p. 2.
  34. ↑ "Knights Bachelor" (PDF). Cabinet Office. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  35. ↑ Ben Ainslie steps down BBC Sport 4th January, Retrieved 19 August 2024
  36. ↑ Ben Ainslie Deserted HQ Porstmouth Retrieved 19 August 2024


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