Sir Ben Ainslie, CBE

Sailor

Ben Ainslie is the most successful sailor in Olympic history and, at 38, his career shows no sign of slowing. Ainslie and his crew take on five heats this year in the run-up to the America’s Cup in 2017. Regarded as sailing’s top trophy, the Cup has never been won by a British crew in its 165-year history, and gives competing crews the chance to develop their own boat, which in Team Ainslie’s case is an £80 million ‘Batman boat’ with a 71-foot sail. Ainslie became keen on sailing at the age of eight on a family holiday in Cornwall, and won his first Olympic medal at just 19. He has since won medals in five consecutive Olympic games, and golds in four of them.

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Debrett's 500 2016