Hometown: Lymington
Sport: Sailing
Event: Laser and finn class
Games: Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004,Beijing 2008, London 2012

Ben Ainslie is the most successful Olympic sailor in history. Ben is a 10 time Finn Class World Champion, a 9 time European Champion and a 4 time Olympic Champion.

Ben began sailing at the age of eight at Restronguet in Cornwall. He was inspired by his father, a Whitbread Round the World skipper and at age just 16, Ben became the Laser Radial World Champion.

Ben went on to win a Silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games and then won Gold at Sydney in 2000. Ben decided to change from Laser Class to Finn Class and in order to do this, he had to put on 15 kg in body weight. Ben won Gold at Athens in 2004 and despite falling ill with mumps the day before defending his Olympic title, in Beijing he won his third consecutive Olympic Gold medal.

Ben says that his greatest strength is that he never gives up. Outside of sailing, he is interested in Football, Cricket and Golf. Ben claims that his most humorous sailing moment was having to be rescued by the RNLI when he destroyed a boat! Ben has been heavily influenced by his parents Roddy and Susan as they have given him endless time and support over the years.

At London 2012 in Weymouth, Ben won his fourth Olympic Gold medal to become the most successful Olympic sailor ever.