Yachting: Ainslie rues new direction

Ben Ainslie. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Ben Ainslie worries about his "wasted years".

The British sailing legend, who has won three Olympic gold medals, is fearful of losing his long-time America's Cup dream.

He feels BMW Oracle's decision to switch from traditional monohulls to multihulled catamarans might have serious implications for a generation of the world's finest match racers.

"I have to say [the decision] was very disappointing," says Ainslie. "Guys like myself have spent the last 10-15 years learning the game and learning how to match race big monohulls in the hope of being competitive in the America's Cup.

"It feels like it is all wasted because the game has changed. I think that match racing will be a very small part of the next regatta. It will mostly be about trying to develop the fastest boat possible."

Ainslie was the reserve skipper for Team New Zealand from 2005 before switching to the British-based Team Origin after the 2007 campaign in Valencia. Along with previous holders Alinghi, Origin have announced they will not be mounting a challenge in 2013. Team owner Sir Keith Mills cannot see a future with the proposed new format.

"As a competitor and a sailor I hope [the new format] can be a success," says Ainslie. "It remains the pinnacle of big-boat sailing and what we all want to achieve. I hope in the long term it will be viable but I have some doubts."

Ainslie wonders about Oracle's stated vision of bigger, faster, better.

"I think their No1 vision is to retain the cup," he says bluntly. "Their second vision is make it as commercially viable as possible from a television point of view so the broadcasting and sponsorship rights are worth that much more. I just wonder how well multihulls and winged sails will lend itself to match racing."

America's Cup veteran Peter Gilmour has a similarly dim view of the competition's prospects.

Gilmour, a consultant to Alinghi in 2007, has been at the forefront of Cup campaigns since 1992, sees the format change as a bold move.

"To effectively wipe out 160 years of match racing and go into catamaran sailing is just remarkable to me," he says. "It's incredibly brave and ballsy, especially given the closeness of the event in 2007.

"I think you will see major time differences in 2013. It may well turn out to be fast and furious but I don't know if people want to watch drag racing on the water.

"It could all be quite simplistic, the choice between doing two or three tacks on the windward leg. I think sailing benefits from the more complicated things. The closeness of the racing, the duels - that is what gives it beauty."

Like Ainslie, Gilmour feels Oracle's motivations are self-evident.

"They are driven by a desire to defend successfully," says Gilmour. "If you give someone a monopoly in circumstances such as this then, of course, they are going to go out and exploit their monopoly.

"Switching the event from 2014 to 2013 and the fact Oracle control all the knowledge around winged sails mean that, unfortunately, all of the other teams are just going to be turning up to be part of the process; to put on a good show."

The Australian also feels that the Oracle experiment will ultimately be short-lived.

"I have no doubt the America's Cup will eventually transition back to monohulls.

"Aside from the other issues, the other element of catamarans is that they are simply impractical for clubs and marinas to manage. How many will fit into Westhaven for example? I doubt they would fit into the entrance of the Viaduct harbour."