Ben Ainslie wants to add to a resume that already features three Olympic gold medals by helping Richard Branson make the fastest Atlantic crossing by a monohull sail boat.
The Briton is part of a 24-person crew assembled by Mike Sanderson, the New Zealander who will skipper Virgin Money along with Branson, as it seeks to break the record of six days, 17 hours, 52 minutes, 39 seconds set by Mari Cha IV in 2003, which Sanderson also skippered.
With a potential weather window approaching, the crew hoped to set sail yesterday.
For the 31-year-old Ainslie, it will be his first Atlantic crossing.
“Yeah, it’s not a bad way to start,” said Ainslie, who has won gold in three straight Olympics. “It’s a very historic record and if we can take it it’d be great to have on your CV [resume].”
The first couple of days are likely to be rough, as the boat heads out from North Cove Marina in New York into the Atlantic swell and gale force winds before finishing at Lizard Point, off the coast of Plymouth, England.
“We’re certainly expecting some pretty rough conditions the first two days out,” Ainslie said. “With winds of over 30 knots, it’s going to be pretty tough going at first.”
Ainslie has competed in the Sydney to Hobart race — one of the toughest bluewater sailing events in the world. So for him, the overwhelming feeling is one of excitement rather than trepidation.
“It’s a hugely significant record in sailing history, on obviously such a beast of a boat, with such a good team that Mike has put together,” he said. “It’s a massive challenge and should be a lot of fun.”
The boat in question is a 30m high-tech maxi-yacht designed by Juan Kuoyoumidjian and capable of reaching speeds of up to 45 knots. Kuoyoumidjian is the principal designer behind Team Origin, Britain’s planned America’s Cup challenger.
While there is no doubt that the boat has the speed to break the record, the real test is whether it can take the constant pounding of the waves.
“With this boat, with this level of performance, the key is not breaking anything,” Ainslie said. “The boat’s an amazing boat. There’s no question it has the performance to break the record, but the key is not breaking it. First, you’ve got to finish.”
While Ainslie is currently focusing on big boats, including Britain’s America’s Cup bid, he said there is no chance of him abandoning his bid to defend his Olympic title in the Finn class in London.
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