the hope of a nation?
Robert Deaves, one of the most dedicated journos in the sport did this good piece on Ben Ainslie. Enjoy.
After winning Silver in the Laser in 1996 and Gold in 2000, Ben Ainslie moved into the Finn class and won back to back Gold medals in 2004 and 2008. Now, in 2012 Ben is on the brink of becoming the most successful Olympic sailor of all time. Currently this accolade is held by another Finn sailor, Paul Elvstrøm, who won four Olympic Gold medals from 1948 to 1960, the first in a Firefly and then three in the Finn. If Ainslie wins Gold on Sunday, 5 August, he will beat Elvstrøm’s record and enter the history books yet again.
Though he is still the outright favourite to take a third Finn Gold, it will be no easy task. At 35 he is one of the oldest sailors in the Finn fleet, and sailing what could potentially be his last Olympic Games. But in this highly competitive fleet he has almost completely dominated the 2011 and 2012 seasons, notching up impressive victories at the 2011 Olympic Test Event and the 2012 Finn Gold Cup, his sixth Finn World Championship. Read on.
