British Olympic hero Sir Ben Ainslie is behind what some are describing as one of sport’s greatest ever comebacks.
The sailor helped Oracle Team USA claw back an enormous deficit in the America’s Cup to draw level with Emirates Team New Zealand with just one race to go.
At one stage Oracle were 8-1 down but a remarkable run of seven wins in a row sets up a thrilling climax to the prestigious competition.
Writing on Twitter, Sir Ben said: “Thanks for all the support. Whatever the result (in the final), the last few weeks has been incredible racing between two great teams.”
Sir Ben, a five times Olympic medallist, was drafted in ahead of race six, at which point Oracle had won just one race to Emirates’ four.
Skipper Jimmy Spithill said the squad had “gelled together” following the sailor’s arrival.
“Sometimes you need to face that barrel of the gun to come together,” he said.
“You can get wobbly in the knees or you can look into the barrel. Every day we’ve managed to step it up more.”
Sir Ben won gold in the Finn class at London 2012, when he pipped Jonas Hogh-Christensen in a memorable competition in Weymouth and Portland.
He accused his Danish rival and Dutch sailor Pieter-Jan Postma of working together to force him to take a penalty as the event drew towards its conclusion, memorably telling reporters he was “seriously p***** off” with the pair.
Oracle is defending the America’s Cup it won in February 2010, when the event was last held.
The team is racing an AC72 catamaran, which is more than 20 metres long and has a mast some 40 metres tall.
:: The 19th and final race of the America’s Cup in San Francisco Bay is live on Sky Sports tonight from 9pm.
Ben Ainslie Steers America's Cup Comeback
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