Ainslie splits from Ratcliffe’s Ineos America’s Cup team

Four-time Olympic champion Ben Ainslie has split from Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Britannia America’s Cup sailing team.

Ainslie, 47, reportedly had a strained relationship with Manchester United co-owner Ratcliffe regarding plans for the next America’s Cup which prompted them to part ways.

Ainslie was Ineos Britannia’s team principal and skipper having got the backing of Ratcliffe in 2018 in a bid to a deliver a first win for Great Britain in the yacht race since it started in 1851.

Ineos said in a statement that they could “not find agreement” with Ainslie on “terms to move forward” after last year’s event in Barcelona which was won by New Zealand.

Ineos will continue to compete in the next America’s Cup under the ‘Britannia’ name.

Ratcliffe did not address the split with Ainslie directly but said he was “enormously proud” of “developing a British boat that was truly competitive for the first time in decades”.

Ainslie won medals at five consecutive Olympics from 1996 onwards, including gold at four consecutive Games from 2000 to 2012.