Ainslie wins sixth world title now he's ready to be first Olympic torchbearer

By Sportsbeat staff

BEN Ainslie secured a record sixth world Finn title to erase painful memories of last year's ISAF World Championships in Perth.

IMPRESSIVE: Ben Ainslie was in dominant form on home waters in Falmouth. He just hopes to continue that trend in Weymouth this summer, venue for the Olympic sailing regatta (onEdition)

Ainslie was effectively disqualified from the event after an angry altercation with a media boat, the lowest moment of his otherwise glittering career.

But he will now arrive at the Olympics, where he is seeking a fourth consecutive gold medal, as the undisputed world number one.

Light winds prevented organisers from staging the medal race in Falmouth but Ainslie has already built up a virtually unassailable lead with team-mate Giles Wright taking silver and Denmark’s 2009 world champion, Jonas Hoegh-Christensen, bronze.

“This is by far and away the best of my world titles because I grew up and learned to sail here in Cornwall on these waters," said Ainslie.

"It has been a long time since I raced down here, probably 20 or 25 years.  

"I am showing my age a little bit but it is great to be back in this part of the world and fantastic to win a world championship here on home waters.

"The most important thing is the performance at the Olympics and this is a stepping stone along that road and it was important to try and perform well here so close to the Games..  

"The important thing is to keep that form going and try to find ways to improve in this final run-up to London."

But Ainslie won't be able to spend too long celebrating his unprecedented victory.

Tomorrow morning he will be the first to carry the Olympic flame as the torch relay starts its 70-day journey around the UK at Land's End.

"That will be really exciting to take the Olympic torch for the first time on home soil,” he said.

“I think it is a great moment for the country and sparks off a great period of Olympic activity."

© Sportsbeat 2012