Sir Ben Ainslie interview at the 2015 CWM FX London Boat Show

Ben Ainslie takes HRH The Princess Royal for a tour of the BAR stand at the CWM FX London Boat Show © Ben Ainslie Racing

We caught up with Sir Ben Ainslie on Wednesday at the CWM FX London Boat Show to get the latest information on Ben Ainslie Racing's plans for 2015...

Mark Jardine: So Ben, we're into 2015, you're back from your honeymoon, have you started training again back down at the BAR base?

Ben Ainslie: Well no, not yet, we've obviously got the boat show going on this week and a lot of restructuring work with the team which started in the New Year; who's doing what and how we move forwards as a new team, as you can imagine that's a constant process to make sure we're as efficient as we can be. Then we go to Bermuda on Sunday with the sailing team, we've got a training camp in the Nacra catamarans next week to try and understand a little more about the race course and help feed back to the design team.

MJ: So how much time do you think you'll be spending out in Bermuda in 2015?

BA: Well we have the training camp and then an America's Cup World Series event there in October, so probably all up a good 5 or 6 weeks, maybe not as much as some other teams as I know ORACLE are going to be set up there from March, but it is important to spend a bit of time out there to get used to the conditions.

MJ: Talking of training camps, all of the other America's Cup teams are using the Moth Worlds that are going on at the moment for many of their sailors - do you think that'll be something that BAR will be doing in the future?

BA: We thought pretty long and hard about that and decided that actually the Nacra 20 for example was a better platform because it is a multihull and we can get two guys out there. For our grinders who, with all due respect, might struggle with a Moth, we can actually get them out there foiling on a big dinghy, so we took that approach and thought it would be a better development for our sailor team. It's been great to see the guys out there in the Moths and it's a great turnout and I'm sure there is a lot to be gained from that as well.

MJ: You must be really excited with the America's Cup World Series coming to Portsmouth this year - it must feel close now.

BA: Absolutely, it's going to be great for the area and great for our team obviously to have an event at home. We're really looking forward to racing in the Solent.

MJ: It must really feel that the America's Cup is building up now with the World Series getting underway. Does it feel like things are really getting down to business now?

BA: You're absolutely right. There's been a really long build-up to this year, some 18 months since the end of the last Cup, a lot of rumours, talk about venues, structure and types of boat design. For us there was a lot of setup to do last year, so to start the year now with everything in place, being able to sail either in Bermuda or here at home, and the World Series events coming up - we're really coming into it full-steam.

MJ: With the venue now sorted out, things in place and the World Series taking shape, how has that helped on the commercial side?

BA: It certainly helps for sure, and for us, as a British team, Bermuda obviously has strong ties and a strong heritage - logistically it works much better for us. I still think there's a little bit to be played out with a split venue potentially and another venue coming into it, so watch this space. Commercially we have a lot of great conversations taking place right now and I'm very positive about getting those across the line in the first quarter of this year.

MJ: Were there any commercial conversations while you were on Necker Island during your recent visit there?

BA: (laughs) Richard and I discussed a lot of things! That's all I'll say!

MJ: Well Ben, thank you very much for your time and all the best with your training camp in Bermuda.

BA: Thanks Mark, cheers.

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