Ainslie still has eye on ultimate prize in sailing

SIR BEN AINSLIE is looking longingly out to sea. It is lunchtime and he is sitting in a beachside restaurant on the Isle of Wight awaiting the arrival of his main course.

- By Neil Squires

One of the boats bobbing away on the sun-kissed water has caught his eye and he is transported away. He gives it due attention then snaps back to the here and now and apologises.

There really isn’t any need. You break bread with the most successful sailor in Olympic history with boats as the backdrop and you kind of expect he might have a passing interest.

Looking out to sea from the land is what Ainslie largely does these days.

He is the man behind Britain's next America’s Cup challenge, the chief executive of the British SailGP team and co-runs a supplements business with his TV presenter wife Georgie.