- Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS are set to contest the final of the America’s Cup
- Ben Ainslie moved to the edge of history off the coast of Barcelona
One team backed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe is not sinking to the bottom of the ocean. For the first time since 1964 a yacht under a British flag will contest the final of the America’s Cup after Ben Ainslie moved to the edge of history off the coast of Barcelona on Friday.
By beating the Italian Luna Rossa crew to win the challenger series, Ainslie’s INEOS Britannia will commence a best-of-17 showdown with holders Emirates Team New Zealand from next Saturday.
The scale of the achievement in getting this far is illustrated by the six decades of waiting since Britain was last represented on the stage. To go one step further would be a first, given no team from these shores has ever won the Auld Mug in the 173 years of its existence.
For Ainslie, the four-time Olympic gold medallist, a magnificent obsession is within reach. For Ratcliffe, who pumped £250million into this project after being seduced by Ainslie’s plans over a gin and tonic in 2018, there is a happy respite from his other interests at Manchester United. He climbed onboard the 75ft yacht within minutes of Ainslie crossing the line.
Ainslie said: ‘It is a massive day for our team and I am so proud of everyone, not just on the water but on the shore. It is a massive moment.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS are set to contest the final of the America’s Cup
Ben Ainslie moved to the edge of history by securing victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup
INEOS’ sailing success will give Ratcliffe a respite from Manchester United’s struggles
‘We started this team 10 years ago when Britain wasn’t even in the America’s Cup. Some amazing people came in and supported the team financially and then of course Jim and his INEOS team came in and helped us. This is a huge thank you.
‘There is a lot of pressure, a lot of investment and you want to make it count, so I am delighted.’
His place in the final was secured with a 7-4 win over Luna Rossa having shared the first eight races across the past fortnight. By nailing three in a row for the victory, INEOS Brittania and Ainslie completed the revival of a campaign that has had some iffy moments, including a boat fire earlier this year and a dire showing in all three of the preliminary regattas prior to the challenger series. More recently, Ainslie had his Rolex watch stolen at knife point in Barcelona.
But out of those difficulties came dominant performances when it mattered, with Ainslie’s crew the standout operation.
The last British skipper to progress this far, Peter Scott, was a Navy hero who spent considerable time trying to prove the Loch Ness Monster was real. He fell short on both counts. Ainslie’s hunt continues.
