London 2012 Olympics: Ben Ainslie ready for Games qualification battle as he pursues fourth gold medal
Ben Ainslie today admitted he had a real fight on his hands simply to qualify for next summer's Olympics, never mind win an historic fourth gold medal.
Up for it: Ben Ainslie is looking to win an historic fourth gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games Photo: PA
7:31PM GMT 01 Mar 2011
With less than 18 months to go before London 2012, Ainslie's preparations for the Games have begun in earnest, the 34-year-old last year returning to the Finn class for the first time since since his 2008 Beijing triumph.
However, his comeback has not gone entirely to plan, with Ainslie losing not once, but twice to rising star Giles Scott in his three races so far, having been unbeaten previously in the dinghy for six years.
With current world champion Ed Wright and the likes of Mark Andrews and Andrew Mills also breathing down his neck for what is a solitary Finn spot, one of Great Britain's gold medal favourites appears in real danger of missing out on the Olympics altogether.
Ainslie has acknowleded that faces ''one of the toughest'' qualification battles of his career.
''The first Olympics I went to in '96, there were 10 UK sailors who were all very good. Any one of them could've won the trials.
''Fortunately, I came out on top as a fresh-faced 18-year-old youngster, and now I'm the old boy in the class, in the fleet, and trying to hang on.
''But, certainly, it's great to have so much talent in the UK, so much depth.
''It pushes you harder in terms of your training and your approach to the sport.
''So for me, coming back into a group of sailors at that level is fantastic, to be pushed that hard.''
Ainslie refused to single out Scott as his biggest threat, saying: ''Giles has been sailing fantastically well over the last three or four years.
''Along with Ed Wright, Mark Andrews and Andrew Mills, he is going to be tough to beat and it's going to be a pretty intense rivalry this summer.
''As far as I'm concerned, it's just another guy that I've got to beat.''
And Ainslie had an ominous warning for all his rivals, revealing he had yet to completely readjust to being back in the Finn.
''The main issues have just been the bodyweight and the fitness, because it's a very different fitness required in the sailing of Finn,'' said Ainslie, who has spent the last two years focusing on his successful match-racing career, including an ill-fated bid to compete in the America's Cup.
''I'm getting there, getting back to peak fitness and working hard at it, and hopefully I'll be there in the summer.''
Summer signals the start of Ainslie's fight to represent his country on home waters, with vital qualification points up for grabs.
Two of the most important events of the year, Sail for Gold and the Olympic test event, also take place at the 2012 sailing venue in Weymouth.
Whoever wins the race for qualification looks certain to be favourite for gold next year and for Ainslie, retaining his Olympic title in his own country would crown a remarkable career.
He said: ''That would be amazing. Just competing in 2012 would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone involved on home waters.
''And for me personally, if I could win another gold medal, that would be pretty special in terms of the sport and my own career.''
Indeed, a fourth gold would make Ainslie the most successful Olympic sailor of all time.
''It's something that's certainly a motivation, absolutely,'' he added. ''To be in that position is obviously fantastic.''
As well as the intense qualification battle, Ainslie is also planning to compete in the annual JP Morgan Asset Management 'Round the Island Race' on the Isle of Wight this year.
Speaking at a lunch to mark the event's 80th anniversary, he said: ''I've had a few good experiences racing around the island.
''I love the race each year. It's something different and great to see so many people out enjoying themselves.
''I'll be racing, for sure. Not quite sure what in yet. I've got to get my nose to the ground and find out what the best options are.''
Ainslie was attending the JP Morgan Asset Management 'Round the Island in 80 years' photographic exhibition, which celebrates the 80th year of sailing event the Round the Island Race.
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