BEN AINSLIE will give up Laser racing once the Sydney 2000 Olympics finish next year, his eyes firmly set on big boat competition in the Volvo Ocean Race which starts from Southampton in September 2001.

The gifted 22-year-old from Lymington, currently the world's best ISAF Laser sailor and recently billed 'the most spectacularly successful sportsman in Britain', is at the peak of his powers, having won both the Laser Europeans and the British National Championships in the past month.

Last week in Torquay, he dominated the 1999 UK Laser Nationals and Open Championships, winning convincingly with seven first places to count.

"In terms of my goals for the year, winning the Nationals is not at the top of my list but I feel pressure to do well because of people's expectations of me. If I don't win, people will wonder why," he said.

He did do well. Very well, as it happened. Sailing in challenging, shifty wind conditions gusting up to 25 knots and one of a field of 90 competitors from UK and overseas, he maintained his lead throughout the regatta, reinforcing his reputation as the country's number one and one of the most focussed competitors on the precinct.

And last month, in Helsinki in Finland, he produced the sort of consistency that every top flight sportsman hankers after.

"It looked easier than it was because we had two discards and fortunately the wind was tricky for the whole event so people were coming first one day and 20th the next where-as I was coming fifth and doing really well in a few races - came first in a couple - and that put me in a good position. It was probably one of the best events I have ever sailed."

Even though Ainslie has not yet qualified for the Olympics, he is virtually guaranteed a place in the British team and, with just over a year to go, is tipped to bring home a medal, a gold one preferably.

"I have qualified for the Olympic trials next April in Weymouth but if someone comes in the top three of the Europeans and in the Worlds in Mexico next year, they qualify for the Olympics without having to do the trials. If I come in the top three in the Worlds I won't have to go to Weymouth," he said.

"I have two big events in Australia - Asian Pacifics and pre-Olympics in Sept-ember. In October, I will be training and then I get to have a holiday in November. After that, in December and January it is back to training in Sydney, getting used to the conditions for the Olympics.

"I have done eight events there now since 1997 so I feel more comfortable with the conditions there than I did. The conditions are tricky in Sydney with four different course areas in the harbour.

The currents are tricky and the winds even more so because they are flying around the sky scrapers in the city. Sometimes, it can be a little bit like rock and rolling.

"After the last Olympics, the next games were my ultimate goal but before that, I wanted to win the World Championships and get to number one ranking in the world. I have achieved those two goals so I am happy with the way things are going. But there is a year to go so I have to keep on top in that time.

"People say I have good prospects of winning a gold medal for Britain but I try not to think about it too much. It only affects me when I am training but when I am out there racing, the pressure does not worry me."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.