36th America's Cup: Sir Ben Ainslie and Giles Scott find focus on 'bromance' hilarious
Watch the next stage of the 36th America's Cup challenge this weekend, INEOS TEAM UK need one win from two match races against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team to progress into the PRADA Cup final. The action is live on Sky Sports Mix from 2am on Saturday, repeated at 9am.
By Emma Thurston
Last Updated: 22/01/21 10:49am
Sir Ben Ainslie says both he and Giles Scott are "finding it hilarious" everyone is talking up their bromance during INEOS TEAM UK's America's Cup challenge.
Ainslie, who was in a relaxed mood while talking to wife Georgie during an exclusive interview from INEOS TEAM UK for Sky Sports News, said the attention he and Scott have received has surprised them.
While on INEOS TEAM UK'S race boat BRITANNIA, the duo are constantly communicating and always sound incredibly relaxed with each other.
The two men's calm tones mask the fact BRITANNIA is an exceptionally difficult boat to race. In Ainslie's words, the 75-foot foiling monohull is constantly 'sailing on a knife-edge' and yet the pair always sound cool and collected.
Scott and the whole of the Ainslie family - Ben, Georgie and daughter Bellatrix - are among the members of INEOS TEAM UK who relocated to New Zealand in the latter part of last year, ahead of the start of the 36th America's Cup campaign.
The racing commenced in December with the warm-ups; the PRADA America's Cup World Series Auckland and PRADA Christmas Race.
Those races did not go to plan for INEOS TEAM UK, instead of a smooth start, their match racing was plagued with technical system errors and performances which were not on a par with their competitors, particularly in the lighter winds.
However, the team spent the 26 days between those warm-up races and the start of the PRADA Cup, working around the clock to identify key issues and make vital modifications.
Their hard work and expertise meant on January 15 when the PRADA Cup started, BRITANNIA moved like a different boat. As a result, the sailing team on board could really show what they were about, especially Olympians Ainslie and Scott.
The 'bromance' between the two sailors is one Georgie Ainslie likens to an Alan Shearer-Teddy Sheringham partnership. Needless to say, the focus on it, amuses both Ainslie and Scott greatly.
"I think we are both just finding it hilarious how everyone's talking up our bromance," Ben Ainslie said. "We are good mates, on and off the water.
"We have raced against each other a lot and we have now been racing with each other for the last five or six years in the America's Cup. We have got a similar philosophy to racing.
"We get on well, which is the most important thing. It has been going well so far, but there is still a long way to go in this competition.
"We know that we are going to get in many more tough spots as we go through this racing [schedule]. We are going to need to bring our A-game."
PRADA Cup - Round Robins - Current Standings
| Wins | Losses | Total | |
| INEOS TEAM UK | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| New York Yacht Club American Magic | 0 | 4 | 0 |
The racing in the PRADA Cup has been going well for the British team. They have recorded four victories from four races and now need just one win from two match races this weekend, in order to progress directly into the final of the PRADA Cup.
Despite being in such a positive position, Ainslie and his crew are not about to rest on their laurels and ease off.
No British team has won the America's Cup, and moving into the PRADA Cup final would bring INEOS TEAM UK one step closer to achieving that goal.
PRADA Cup - Format
| Competition | The PRADA Cup determines which of the challengers will take on Emirates Team New Zealand in the 36th America's Cup match in March. |
|---|---|
| Round Robins | The round robin sessions produce one winner who progresses straight into the final. |
| Semi-final | The remaining two challengers, one of which will be NYYC American Magic if they successfully return to the water, compete in a first to four points semi—final. |
| Final | The winner of the semi-final, and the previous winner of the round robins, then duel to become the Challenger for the 36th America’s Cup. The final takes the format of first to seven points. |
The PRADA Cup is the series which must be won in order to progress into the final America's Cup match against the defender, Emirates Team New Zealand.
It features all three of the challengers - INEOS TEAM UK, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team and New York Yacht Club American Magic. However, only the British and Italian outfits will be completing this weekend after the Americans' dramatic capsize in PATRIOT.
"We are certainly not taking anything for granted," he said. "We have got two really tough races against Luna Rossa, the Italian team, and they're strong across a range of conditions.
"The forecast for Saturday and Sunday is for medium to strong winds, which we feel like we are going well in. They are our favoured conditions but, it's going to be a real battle against those guys.
"They are really gunning for that top spot as well to go straight through to the PRADA Cup final. So, it's going to be a fascinating weekend. We are really up for the fight."
After focusing on the match racing, Georgie Ainslie finishes with perhaps the most important question of the day for INEOS TEAM UK's skipper and team principal...
"Finally, if you win this weekend are you going to be around for bath time next week, Bellatrix is asking!?"
The answer... well it was not a definite yes, but nor was it a definite no!
Enjoy every moment of the America's Cup challenge, live on Sky Sports. Coverage continues with the fourth day of the PRADA Cup on Saturday at 2am on Sky Sports Mix, repeated again at 9am.
