Olympic gold medal-winning British sailor Ben Ainslie will make his debut sail on the San Francisco Bay Saturday in preparation for the America’s Cup World Series, according to race organizers.
Ainslie, who holds five Olympic medals including a fourth gold won at the London games earlier this month, hopes to win the America’s Cup for the British with his own team, JP Morgan Ben Ainslie Racing, according to the America’s Cup Event Authority.
In addition to his Olympic feats, Ainslie has taken part in America’s Cup events including fourteen months with the “One World Challenge” campaign after the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He joined Emirates Team New Zealand after the 2004 Olympic Games and helped win the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2007.
Ainslie has also served as skipper of the British Team Origin in 2008-2010, which won the World Match Racing Tour in 2010.
The America’s Cup World Series begins Wednesday, Aug. 22 with a five-day race in San Francisco Bay. Further events are scheduled for Oct. 2-7 in San Francisco, April 16-21, 2013, in Venice, Italy, and May 14-19, 2013, in Naples, Italy.
Participants in the series including defending team Oracle Team USA and teams from Italy, France, China, South Korea, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The America’s Cup Village is located at Marina Green during this month’s event and will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The best viewing for spectators will be from Crissy Field to Marina Green and at Aquatic Park to Pier 27/29, officials said.
However, Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District officials said the viewing from the east sidewalk of the bridge is not recommended due to crowding from visitors and bicyclists.
Ainslie will sail from Pier 30-32 from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, returning to the Pier at 4:15 p.m.
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