Ben Ainslie as well as his Land Rover BAR squad is looking to become the very first British crew to get the America’s Cup which in its 165th year in 2016. And if productive, they plan to fight back in the British Waters.
But had Team Oracle USA (he was a part of it) not pulled off a magnificent reversal from 8-1 down to 9-8 to become champion at the America’s Cup in San Francisco Bay in the year 2013, the 4-time Olympic champ is inexorable the situation would be very much different.
Britain’s most idolized sailor told that it was always a huge shot. He remember primary meetings with Russell Coutts and Larry Ellison, they wanted him to sail for Oracle and he agreed if they gave him a boat to race in the World Series with a view to building up a British squad for the next race. But halfway through that Cup he certainly did not think it looked good.
The America’s Cup seemed to be going to New Zealand and more likely than not they would not be there talking about a British squad. If Oracle had not succeeded he does not think commercially the Cup would have been that attractive for a British team in New Zealand.
Skipper told that the aim is to win, this is a huge goal but that is always been the goal and there is no hiding from the fact this is a huge challenge.