How quiet Ben became angry Ainslie

Britain’s finest sailor transformed his persona to rule the waves

R o b i n C h at t e r j e e

Britain’s finest sailor since Horatio Nelson won his fourth Olympic gold medal on Sunday. Ben Ainslie made a point in doing so: ‘Don’t make me mad’.

The contest was centred on Ainslie and Denmark’s JonasHogh Christensen. The pair scrapped it out through the week and bad blood between the pair spilled over when Ainslie alleged that the Dane, in connivance with Dutchman Peter-Jan Postma, had indulged in skulduggery by making Ainslie pay a penalty after claiming that he had touched a buoy.

It was at that point that

Ainslie alleged that the Dane [Jonas-Hogh Christensen], in connivance with Dutchman Peter-Jan Postma, had indulged in skulduggery by making Ainslie pay a penalty after claiming he had touched a buoy.

Ainslie served up the best and worst of himself. Determined to make a comeback at all costs, after Christensen had beaten him in the first six races, Ainslie pulled up his socks in the water and then served out a chilling warning to his enemy: “They’ve made me angry,” he said, “and they did not want to make me angry.”

Most decorated

For the record, Ainslie prevailed to become Britain’s most decorated sailor of all time.

I first met Ainslie in 1998 when he came to Dubai to participate in the ISAF World Sail- ing Championships. He was 21, and had already won a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games in the Laser Class. The British team referred to him as ‘Baby Ben’.

In a chat with he informed politely that he was from Southampton and rather profoundly added that it was “in the south of England”.

Contrary to the temperament that he has acquired over the years, Ainslie admitted, “I’m quite a quiet person really.”

Having no idea about what he might go on to achieve, Ainslie laid out his modest career goals then: “I want to win a big championship, or a medal. Any championship, any medal.”

Since Robert Scheidt was the barometer of excellence then, Ainslie went on to track down the Brazilian to all parts of the world, beating him in a few races until that golden moment in Sydney when he won his first Olympic title.

Then followed Athens, Beijing and, finally, glory at home in London.

In Dubai, he said, “I wanted to make sure that he never creeps up on me.”

Clearly in 1998 Ainslie hadn’t given too many interviews. His words used to double-clutch, regroup and then form themselves. Today, Ben Ainslie (CBE) is one of Britain’s most soughtafter and decorated Olympic heroes. A knighthood may not be ruled out. To expect anything less of this young man from Britain, who went on to rule the waves, would be the height of Scheidt.