South African Olympic yachtsman Ian Ainslie is proving that with the right opportunities he is right up among the best in the world. In the recent Australian Finn Championships Ainslie overcame strong challenges from the reigning Olympic gold and silver medallists to take top honours.
Ainslie's campaign has been made possible through sponsorship by Mediterranean Shipping Company (SA) (MSC), who will handle the logistics of his yacht and equipment wherever the racing regattas are being held. MSC, who came to the rescue of SA's yachting hopes just before the Atlanta Olympics, has given an undertaking that full sponsorship, including training and other backup will continue until after the next Olympics are held in Sydney in 2000.
We need to back our Olympic yachtsman for at least 3 years before the Olympics if they are to have any chance of competing with the world's best, says Captain Salvatore Sarno, MSC chairman. We also think a shipping company should be assisting other sailors in this way. MSC will see that South Africa's entry has the best equipment, the best training and the best support possible.
Ainslie, who is a teacher of mathematics at the maritime school in Simonstown when he is not yachting, is also involved in training black yachtsmen into the intracacies of sailing.
By Terry Hutson
MSC backs SA's Olympic yachting effort
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