SIR Ben Ainslie has vowed to be back "stronger" in his bid to bring the America's Cup back to Britain.

The Olympic sailing legend and his Portsmouth-based Land Rover BAR team's challenge for the 2017 tournament ended on Thursday when they lost 5-2 to New Zealand in the semi finals.

Today is almost exactly three years since the British team officially launched their long-term challenge to bring the Cup home to British waters for the first time since the inuagural event in 1851 - 166 years ago - when it was held off the Isle of Wight.

Ainslie remains committed to the vision, and sponsors Land Rover have confirmed their commitment as well.

Land Rover will increase the technology and engineering resources and expertise offered to the team for the design and development of the next America’s Cup boat.

Ainslie said: "The whole team; the designers, engineers, shore team and everyone in the office have dug so deep to make us more competitive.

"It’s a huge credit to our team – and a huge thank you to them, I couldn’t be more proud. And a huge thank you to everyone back home in Britain for supporting us. We will be back next time and with support already in place I know we will be stronger.”

Mark Cameron, Land Rover’s Experiential Marketing Director, added: “The Land Rover BAR team has accomplished so much and we are immensely proud of the partnership that has been forged.

"It has been an incredible success for us both in terms of engineering collaboration and the launch of our new Discovery which is why we are delighted to announce our continued support as Title and Exclusive Innovation partner for the 36th America’s Cup.

“It would have been fantastic to have progressed further, but you cannot underestimate how significant Land Rover BAR's achievement has been.

"To win the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series outright as a rookie team and to successfully launch the Land Rover BAR Academy, also competing here in Bermuda, are real highlights for Land Rover.”

In 2016 the team launched the Land Rover BAR Academy, to find and support talented young British sailors and create a pathway into the America’s Cup.

The team will race at the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, beginning on Monday June 12.