Yachting: Olympic great sails forth

Ben Ainslie stands to become the greatest Olympic sailor in history if he wins another gold in London 2012. Photo / Brett Phibbs

He is a sailing legend who is allergic to the sun. He is sporting royalty who struggles in the limelight. He is ruthlessly competitive on the water - even famously described as "unsporting" on one occasion - while being humble, modest and accommodating off it. And he might just be the greatest Olympic sailor of all time.

It is not widely known, but Ben Ainslie has an allergy to the sun, not ideal in his chosen profession. He suffers from solar dermatitis, which can cause rashes across his body and leave him drained after long periods in the sun.

The condition was most pronounced in his teenage years and he reflects now that sailing became his salvation, an escape from constant teasing about his appearance.

"I could go off on the sea, get away from the bullying and it was the one thing I was good at. I think it gave me a determination to do well."

He did - Ainslie stands to become arguably the greatest Olympic sailor in history if he wins another gold in London in 2012.

Right now, Ainslie is focused on gaining weight. Consumed by it, you might say. With the 2010 world match racing season over (Ainslie was crowned champion), and the disbanding of Team Origin, the 33-year-old can now turn his full attention to the London Olympics. Returning to the physical Finn class, Ainslie will need to pack on over 10 kilos to be at optimal race weight and fitness.

"It is not easy," he laughs. "It involves a lot of eating, protein supplements and creatine. It would be most people's dream to eat anything and put on weight but it is actually hard work. You are stuffing your face and feeling full the whole time then you have to go to the next gym session, the next sailing session."

Ainslie also faces a real battle just to grab the single place on the British team. Current world champion Ed Wright stands in Ainslie's way along with world No5, Giles Scott. There are also two other Brits in the top 10.

"For me to qualify for the UK is going to be incredibly challenging," admits Ainslie. "Hopefully I can make it and go on and do the business in 2012."

British officials are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for success on home waters; they have even employed a falconer who at 6am every day sends his birds of prey - including a particularly menacing hawk owl - into the skies above Weymouth to take on a dawn chorus of local seagulls, ensuring the sailors grab their last few hours of valuable sleep.

As a 19-year-old, Ainslie took silver in Atlanta (1996), losing out to legendary Brazilian Robert Scheidt, who coaxed him into an early start in the last race (and disqualification). Four years later Ainslie in Sydney took his revenge, winning his first Olympic gold in controversial circumstances. Ainslie deliberately sailed the South American down the fleet, with the duo being in last place at one stage. Scheidt eventually finished 22nd, Ainslie 37th and, with earlier results, it was enough for Ainslie to top the podium. The gamemanship enraged Brazilian fans and was condemned by Sir Roger Bannister who labelled the tactic "unsporting" and "not quite British". Ainslie remains the only man to have beaten Scheidt at world championship or Olympic level.

Ainslie then switched to the Finn class, winning the 2002 world championship within five months. He took gold the hard way in Athens, overcoming a 9th and a disqualification in the first two races to crush his opposition. He retained his Olympic title in difficult conditions off Qingdao in 2008.

Another gold in 2012 will see Ainslie become arguably the greatest Olympic sailor yet. Dane Paul Elvstrom, who competed in eight Olympiads between 1948-1988, took four consecutive golds while Brazilian Torben Grael won five medals from 1984 to 2004.

"You set a goal and go about trying to achieve it and you don't stop until you get there. I think in all sports it is about determination and focus and you have to put the effort in to make sure you do everything right until you get to the final goal and achieve it."

"He is pretty bloody-minded," says Barry McKay, who sailed with Ainslie during his days with Team New Zealand between 2004 and 2007. "He goes about his business and makes things happen. He is probably the one guy that we have sailed with who is closest to Russell [Coutts] in terms of his focus and determination. He is possibly even more focused than Russell."

Ainslie speaks fondly of his time as back-up helmsman to Dean Barker in the Valencia campaign, saying it was a "real privilege" and a "fantastic learning opportunity".

"It was a tough learning curve and he grew a lot during the campaign," asserts McKay. "In terms of the resources that were put around him as the 'B' boat he did really well."

Prior to the Louis Vuitton semis and finals, McKay remembers Ainslie delivering a series of astute observations of the opposition; he even wrote a briefing paper on the eve of the finals.

"They were smart, knowledgeable comments that would only come from someone of his pedigree," said McKay. A decade before the America's Cup campaign, Ainslie spent an extended period in New Zealand as a young Laser protege. After finishing second to Dan Slater at the 1994 world youth championships, the duo struck up a friendship and Ainslie spent two summers racing in Auckland and staying at the Slater family home. "He had a quiet determination to succeed," remembers Rod Slater. "He was extremely level-headed under pressure and showed tremendous ability, though none of us knew how good he was going to become."

Slater, New Zealand sailing team manager at the 1996 Olympics, recalls that Ainslie fitted in well. He joined the Murrays Bay yacht club, coped with the inevitable 'Pommy' banter and was just "one of the boys". Ainslie also become a regular at the Poenamo hotel's infamous 'skirt nights', where male patrons wearing skirts or dresses to the North Shore bar would drink for free.

BEN AINSLIE
Medals

* 2008 Olympic Gold, Finn class

* 2004 Olympic Gold, Finn class

* 2000 Olympic Gold, Laser class

* 1996 Olympic Silver, Laser class

Other honours

* World Sailor of the Year (1998, 2002, 2008)

* Finn world champion (2002-05)

* Laser world champion (1998, 1999)

America's Cup

* 2008-2010: Team Origin

* 2004-2007: Team New Zealand

* 2002-2003: One World Challenge