BBC Sportolympics2008ifs

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
 

Related BBC sites

Page last updated at 17:23 GMT, Thursday, 29 January 2009

Ainslie's coach joins New Zealand

Jez Fanstone and Ben Ainslie
Fanstone (left) will now help in training Ainslie's New Zealand rivals

Ben Ainslie will go up against the coach who helped him to Beijing Olympic gold when he competes at London 2012.

Ainslie's coach Jez Fanstone has left the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and been appointed as the new programme manager for Yachting New Zealand.

The three-time gold medallist worked closely with Fanstone for seven months in the run up to the Beijing Olympics where he took gold in the Finn class.

Ainslie will not appoint a coach while he is focusing on the America's Cup.

Ainslie's build up for the America's Cup will finally get under way in Auckland in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series on Wednesday where he will skipper of a crew that also includes fellow Beijing winner, Iain Percy in Britain's Team Origin.

RYA Olympic manager Stephen Park said losing Fanstone is disappointing but it should not affect Ainslie's preparation for the London Olympics.

"Ben is likely to need a new coach and the RYA will work with him on that but his programme at the moment means that he doesn't need a coach," he said.

The quality of the people we've got here, we're all looking to win the America's Cup

Ben Ainslie

"Ben is focussing on the America's Cup so there is not an immediate issue with arranging someone.

"Jez was a great member of the team and we would have loved to have him involved in 2012 but with the amount of sailing Ben is doing we didn't have the resources to keep Jez on a retainer until London."

Print Sponsor


see also
Busy schedule ahead for Ainslie
09 Dec 08 |  Olympics
Sports Personality 10: Ben Ainslie
02 Dec 08 |  Sports Personality
Ainslie given world sailor award
12 Nov 08 |  Olympics
Ainslie abandons record attempt
24 Oct 08 |  Olympics
America's Cup set for March 2009
12 May 08 |  Other sport...
America's Cup guide
16 Apr 07 |  Sailing