Ben Ainslie embraces anxiety ahead of historic America's Cup 2024

Ben Ainslie may be the most successful sailor in Olympic history, but he still gets anxious.

That may seem strange for a four-time Olympic gold medallist but on 12 October 2024 Ainslie will be unchartered water, so to speak.

The 47-year-old will skipper INEOS Britannia in the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, where victory in the series with Emirates Team New Zealand, would see a boat from Great Britain win the event for the first time in the competition’s 172-year history.

“I’m as anxious now as I was when I was a 19-year-old going to my first Olympic Games, because I think if there isn’t any anxiety, then you don’t care enough,” he told El Pais.

“If you’re at a point where you’re not that bothered about it, then I don’t think you’re going to be as focused as you should be. A little bit of anxiety is good because it really sharpens the focus. And that’s where I’m at now, that’s where the team is at, we’re really pushing hard.”

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Making history for Great Britain in the America's Cup

The unique competition format, where the trophy winner decides what type of boat will be used in the next competition and is awarded a direct place in the final, make it exceedingly difficult to oust the holders.

The USA’s New York Yacht Club held the trophy for the first 132 years of the competition, before the Royal Perth Yacht Club from Australia ended that dynasty in 1987.

Since then, New Zealand have emerged as a powerhouse of the sport, and have held the America’s Cup title since 2021. This is the team that beat Ainslie as a part of his previous team, Land Rover BAR, and who now stand between him and glory again.

"It's a bit like taking on the All Blacks when they won the Rugby World Cup and then they decide for the next World Cup that the pitch might be a little bit bigger and the pressure in the ball might be slightly higher," Ainslie told Reuters.

"The America's Cup is the world's oldest international sports tournament. We've got a very proud sporting heritage in Britain and the America's Cup is the one thing that's missing.

"It really is a huge, huge challenge, particularly when you have such a strong defending team. It's a wonderful opportunity for our team to go all the way.”

While some may be intimidated by the size of that challenge, Ainslie, as ever, only sees opportunity.

"In life in general if you get an opportunity, in my experience, the trick is to take it on. Don't be scared, take it on and go for it and give it everything."

Ben Ainslie's greatest sailing triumphs

Ainslie is now 47, and has competed internationally since 1989.

After winning silver at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, he won four-consecutive sailing Olympic titles at four Games editions between 2000 and 2012.

In 2013, he was hugely influential in one of the greatest sporting comeback victories of all time, also at the America's Cup**.** Trailing Team New Zealand 8-1, a desperate Oracle Team USA recruited Ainslie as a tactician in race six, who duly helped them win eight consecutive races and claim victory in the first-to-nine series.

So how has Ainslie been able to stay so consistent and motivated in the attritional world of sailing over so many years?

The answer may lie in his enjoyment of out-working his rivals rather than in winning tangible rewards.

“I was very talented as a youngster, but I wouldn’t say I was a child prodigy. It wasn’t like I was winning everything. I wasn’t a Mozart, let’s put it that way. But what I did have was a lot of focus and determination. I think when you look at any walk of life there’s a lot of very talented people, and the difference between the people that really go a long way is hard work, putting the effort in. Talent’s only going to take you so far,” he continued.

Even after Ainslie confirmed his status as one of the greatest sailors ever, his mindset didn’t waver.

Instead of basking in his own glory, he continually set new targets and focussed on achieving them by improving as an athlete.

“Trying to stay at the top is always very hard because you’re then a target. And you have to constantly keep pushing new boundaries. I think it’s determination to want to achieve great things, to keep performing at the highest level," he said.

“To keep setting new targets for yourself. That’s really how you can derive the performance to try and stay ahead of the rest.

“I don’t think I will ever be (satisfied). We’re all cut from a different cloth. I’m obviously really a determined, competitive person. And at the moment it’s sailing, but maybe in the future it’ll be business or some other challenge. And of course you want to try and do it successfully.”

And while he is undoubtedly the most high-profile member of the INEOS Britannia crew, he is in good company when it comes to Olympic medallists.

Dylan Fletcher, the 49er class champion at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 helms for the team, with two-time finn Olympic champion Giles Scott serving as Head of Sailing. Elsewhere, Australia's 49er champion from London 2012 Iain Jensen is the team’s Trimmer Support, while Spain’s Xabi Fernandez, who won the 49 class at Athens 2004, is a coach.

Rowing Olympic champion from Rio 2016 Matt Gotrel, and Olympic silver medallist Harry Leask are among the cyclors who power the boat.

As someone who competed individually for so long, Ainslie is also energised by the challenge and enjoyment of competing alongside teammates.

“That feeling of winning with a really strong team is much more rewarding than as an individual. That team element is very powerful."

The stage is now set, and it would take a brave individual to bet against Ainslie creating more sailing history when his team take to the Mediterranean waters on 12 October.