Ben Ainslie, of Britain, has finally achieved his goal of competing for the America's Cup. The America's Cup is the oldest trophy of international sport.

The 47-year old Briton, who is the most successful Olympic sailing sailor in history, has been aiming for the "Auld Mug", or the Olympic trophy since he was able to remember.

Ainslie has fought through a back injury in order to win his fourth Olympic Gold Medal at the London Games. His ambition is to "bring home the Cup" to Britain. The country has not won this event since 1851, when it was first held off the South Coast of England.

Ainslie won the America's Cup in 2013, when he played for the U.S., but that was as part of an American team.

Jimmy Spithill said that he had "a lot" of respect for Ainslie, the Briton who beat him in this week's race. Spithill skippered Ainslie during the win, and they have fought on the water many times together since. He's the only person in my sailing career I've enjoyed going head-tohead with because of his ruthlessness. Spithill, after the race on Friday, said that he loves and admires a competitor who is willing to fight head-tohead. Ainslie, who has the support of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and the help of Formula One team Mercedes, has now built a boat, with the crew he hopes will take him to the end. To get to this point, Ainslie had to make some difficult decisions. He replaced his long-time lieutenant Giles Scott with Dylan Fletcher, another Olympian. Fletcher said, "It's surreal to think that I went from being a 14-year old getting my life jacket signed by him and now racing with him.

When asked how it was to be seated next to the sailor referred as "Guv", Fletcher, 36 said, "He is obviously ruthless, but he's also open and eager for feedback."

Ainslie has stressed many times that the America's Cup was more difficult to win because the deck is stacked against the holder, who gets to set most of the important parameters.

It is also a competition based on design, and the fastest boat usually wins. This means that money is essential to attract the top designers, boat builders, and support teams.

After failing to win the Bermuda Trophy in 2017, Ainslie convinced INEOS boss Ratcliffe, in a London bar, to fund a second attempt at the trophy in Auckland in 2021.

The relationship also led to Ratcliffe sharing his expertise with other athletes in the Ratcliffe sporting stable. This included the cyclists, as the hydraulic pumps that adjust the sails on the giant foiling AC75s were powered by "cyclors".

These boats are a long way from the Optimist dinghy Ainslie started sailing as a young child, and the Laser class and then the Finn class in which he earned four gold and one silver medal at the Olympics.

Ainslie's boat, which he developed this time around, has already achieved the highest speed in its class. This week it reached 56 knots while racing against Italy.

Paul Strzelecki has known Ainslie from the time he was 16 years old. The qualities that he displayed then haven't changed.

He has this amazing determination and focus that you have never seen before. He's always so focused, Strzelecki said, former owner of clothing company Henri-Lloyd, which sponsored Ainslie for many years.

Strzelecki said that Ainslie was "one of our greatest sailors ever". He is now a consultant, but still close friends with Ainslie.

After winning the right, all that grit will be required to take on New Zealand.

Spithill said he was happy to see his hard work payoff, as he is one of the amazing competitors you are lucky to have faced. He admitted that he would now root for the British team to win. (Reporting and editing by Alexander Smith)

(source: Reuters)