In the early afternoon of 18 September 2013 – 4,046 days ago – Team New Zealand crossed the finish line in San Francisco Bay 15 seconds ahead of Oracle Team USA and took an 8-1 lead in the America’s Cup.
The sailing contest has no prize money on the line – it is a rich man’s game – but is the oldest international competition in sport and Team New Zealand, led by world champion sailor Dean Barker and tactician Ray Davies, were within one victory of taking the old trophy back to the Land of the Long White Cloud for the first time since 2003.
Enter, then, Ben Ainslie.
The Team GB legend replaced John Kostecki as Oracle Team USA’s tactician when the Americans were 4-1 down. And, despite a slow start, Ainslie rallied his team as they inched towards making the contest somewhat close.
From 19 September Ainslie and New Zealand went unbeaten for a week until, on 25 September, they crossed the San Fran finish line 44 seconds ahead to win the decider and triumph 9-8 in the America’s Cup.
To this day it remains one of the great sporting comebacks: from 8-1 to 8-9 up. A feat of determination and persistence.
And it is an experience Ainslie will need to harness in the coming week, with his Ineos Britannia AC37, representing Great Britain in their first America’s Cup for 60 years, 4-0 down to another Kiwi side – Emirates New Zealand – in the 2024 match.
America’s Cup comeback
With the holders, New Zealand, setting the rules it was always going to be a mountain to climb for Ineos Britannia, who are backed by Manchester United minority investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
They look slower on the water and have made a couple of mistakes. Even a usually steely Ainslie has seemingly been rattled by the situation, forgetting his microphone was live after a broadcast interview and shouting profanities. But if any sailor can thrive in adversity it is Ainslie.
Great Britain hosted the first America’s Cup in 1851, watched by Queen Victoria, when the Americans first won it. Britain has never had the honour of winning the trophy in the subsequent 173 years.
But Ainslie has, and from the unlikeliest of scenarios.
So if Emirates Team New Zealand go 5-0 or even 6-0 ahead on Wednesday in the waters just off Barcelona, it won’t necessarily mean the end for Ineos Britannia – albeit that they are yet to cross the start line first or even lead at the end of a single leg. Because they have Ainslie at the helm who has been there and done it.
Coming from four races down to claim the America’s Cup would usually be a once-in-a-generation occurrence. But for the veteran helmsman it is a case of repeating the feat of a decade ago. Simple, right?