Britain will compete for the America’s Cup for the first time in 60 years after securing the victory necessary for its right to face defending champion New Zealand next week. “We’ve got one more goal, guys,” the skipper, Sir Ben Ainslie, reminded his crew as they crossed the finish line to defeat their Italian rivals.
Ineos Britannia won the first two scheduled races to take a 7-4 victory in Barcelona over Luna Rossa in a best-of-13 series to lift the Louis Vuitton Trophy.
Ainsley, a four-time Olympic gold medalist sailor, will look to wrestle the New Zealanders’ Old Mug title into the America’s Cup from October 12, again in Barcelona. The win will be the first for British sailing since the competition began in 1851. Britain last sailed in the America’s Cup in 1964 in a boat captained by Sir Peter Scott, son of Antarctic explorer Captain Robert Scott.
“It’s been a long time,” Ainslie said of the British wait. “It’s a big moment isn’t it? There’s a lot of pressure on these organizations, there’s a huge amount of investment in time and money, and you want to get it right, and you want to make it count.”
Ainslie made it his mission to ‘bring the trophy home’, leading a campaign that cost more than £100 million. Addressing the technical and support staff at Britannia, he said: “It is a great day for our team.” “This moment is yours.”
In the deciding race in perfect sailing conditions, Britannia led Luna Rossa from the start, opening wide in a flawless two-legged open, and finding clear air as the chaser battled turbulence. Ainsley’s side dominated the game, with the gathered fans applauding them and waving the Union Jack as they advanced halfway. The Italians chased down, closing the lead in the second leg to less than 20 metres, and the wind conditions were in their favour, but they still found no way to beat their opponents.
Luna Rossa waited in vain for its chance to pass, but Britannia continued to play safe and opened the gap again. Britannia took a clear lead in the final, with Ainslie steering and catching the strong wind to maintain a lead that the desperate Italians were unable to close. They crossed the finish line first with a clear lead.
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Ainslie’s assistant coach Dylan Fletcher, who won Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, will face the sailors he propelled to silver, Peter Burling and Blair Tuck, who will lead New Zealand’s challenge next weekend. “Bring on the New Zealanders,” said Fletcher, a late call-up after years of Ainslie clamoring for a role, thrilled to fulfill his “lifelong dream” and “looking forward to showing what we can do in the America’s Cup next weekend.”
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Veteran Italy coach Jimmy Spithill, a two-time America’s Cup winner with the United States, announced his immediate retirement, saying: “It’s tough, but this is a sport and it’s going to be a tough few days for the team. The better team won and I just want to say ‘well done’ to Ben and Dylan.” And the whole team.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Manchester United co-owner who also owns the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team and has an interest in the Mercedes Formula 1 team, which helped produce Britannia, celebrated one of his greatest successes outside the petrochemical business that made his fortune. Ratcliffe was asked to board the fleet of spectators’ yachts to lift the trophy his finances made possible. Ainslie thanked Jim and his team at Ineos [for] “He comes and helps us.”
