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Ainslie: History awaits
"It's a great advantage to race early in the regatta. You finish your races early and then you can party for the rest of the week."
Ben Ainslie
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Ben Ainslie says he is looking forward to making history at the Olympics, and is not weighed down the pressure of expectation.
Ainslie is favourite to win the Finn class sailing event in Qingdao which would be his fourth Olympic medal - making him Britain's most successful sailor.
The 31-year-old won a silver in the Laser class in 1996, followed by gold in the same event in Sydney and another victory in the Finn class at Athens.
Still at the top of the tree in the Finn classes, Ainslie is expected to win a third consecutive gold medal but that expectation is not pressuring him too much.
"I think in my situation, most of the pressure actually comes from my expectations and desire to do well," he said.
Prepared
"I can't really do anything about what other people think. You just have to prepare well and go out and try to race well.
"I'm really looking forward to racing. Like everybody else, we've been preparing for a long time for this event so it will be good to finally get on with the racing."
Ainslie accepts that with himself and the British Yngling crew expected to win, it would give Team GB a great start top the regatta as their classes are amongst the first to race.
"I suppose so and we've also got a very good chance in the Yngling class with Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson," Ainslie added.
"It would be good if we could do well in both of those classes and help the morale of the rest of the team.
"I think we've got the best team on paper that we ever had. I think it's possible (to repeat the five-medal haul of Athens) but we know how challenging the conditions are out here and we will all have to sail to our potential to make that happen."
Party
Ainslie is in serious training mode as he prepares for his date with history in Qingdao, but once his race is over he plans to enjoy the rest of the Games.
"It's a great advantage to race early in the regatta because it's a lot more difficult to be sitting around at the start of the week and watch while the other races are taking place.
"You finish your races early and then you can party for the rest of the week."
