SailGP Abu Dhabi: Sir Ben Ainslie steps down from on-water role to focus on America’s Cup campaign

Sir Ben Ainslie credits his run-in with Kiwi rivals Peter Burling and Blair Tuke as being the reason he was named SailGP’s best trash-talker.

Ainslie claimed the title in an anonymous league-wide poll conducted in Dubai last month – the event after Ainslie’s Great Britain team refused to give way to the Kiwis despite being significantly behind in the race. It ultimately cost the Kiwis a spot in the podium race in Cadiz and ended with a heated exchange between the boats.

As it turned out, the event in Cadiz was Ainslie’s penultimate event as a sailor in the global foiling league.

The decorated helmsman has called time on his on-board involvement in the league after last month’s Dubai regatta, handing the wheel to two-time Olympic gold medallist Giles Scott ahead of this weekend’s event in Abu Dhabi, with Ainslie remaining as the team’s chief executive.

It’s a decision Ainslie has been weighing up for some time, making way for the next generation and allowing himself more time to focus on Ineos Britannia’s America’s Cup campaign.

“It’s been on my mind for quite a while, actually,” Ainslie told the Herald. “The stage I’m at in my career, taking on more and more of the managerial side of running these teams - be that SailGP or America’s Cup - and ultimately not being able to do everything.”

“It just seemed like the right time at this stage, where we’re at with SailGP and in the America’s Cup, to make that transition. It gives Giles the rest of this season to bed into SailGP with the aim of really hitting it hard going into next season, and it frees up more of my time. This is a full-on year for us in the America’s Cup in terms of launching our race boat and taking on the competition.”

Ainslie has been at the helm of the British entry in SailGP since season two and led the team into the three-team Grand Final race against Australia and New Zealand to end season three.

He is one of two high-profile sailors to step away from the sailing side of the league in recent times. Jimmy Spithill, who sailed with the USA team, was ousted from his role as driver when the team changed ownership, and after filling in for Australia in Dubai last month, announced his retirement.

Like Ainslie, Spithill will stay around the league in a managerial role – setting up an Italian team for season five. Ainslie said Spithill making the call to step aside to give a new wave of talent the opportunity didn’t influence him making his announcement, and said he never considered taking a sabbatical for the rest of season four rather than calling it a day altogether.

“That was certainly an option, but SailGP, it’s not a training ground for the America’s Cup. For us as competitors, we [value] it just as highly as the America’s Cup in terms of its relevance in the sport, and certainly looking to the future of the sport. It’s not something I think you can dip in and out of, certainly in terms of wanting to have the top performance and the best results.

“Looking to the future, Giles is 10 years younger than I am, he’s at the peak of his career, and he’s a very mature, balanced sailor and individual on and off the water. I think he’ll suit SailGP really well, and that’s how we want to lead the team.”

As for living up to Ainslie’s moniker of the league’s best trash-talker?

“I was a little bit surprised by that mantle, actually,” Ainslie laughed.

“I’m sure Giles will be more than capable of taking the trash-talking crown if need be, but I would have thought his focus would probably be on trying to win some races.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.