Ainslie tops Team GB Games line-up

LONDON, England -- Double gold medalist Ben Ainslie headed the first nine names -- all from the sport of sailing -- officially selected for Britain's line-up at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The 30-year-old Ainslie, who struck gold at Sydney 2000 and Athens four years later having won silver in Atlanta in 1996, will be competing in the Finn class.

Fellow Games gold medalists Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb (Yngling) and Iain Percy (Star) are also named.

Ayton, 27, is one of Britain's top sailors, having won gold in Athens as the youngest member of Shirley Robertson's crew.

She now teams up with former crew-mate Webb and newcomer Pippa Wilson in a bid to reclaim gold in Beijing -- and the trio are currently ranked number one in the world.

Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes (49er), Paul Goodison (Laser), and Andrew Simpson (Star) complete the opening batch of medal hopefuls.

Simon Clegg, BOA Chief Executive and 2008 Chef de Mission, said: "I am delighted to announce the first nine official members of Team GB for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"Sailing is one of our core sports, one which has medaled consistently over many years, and which claimed five medals at the Athens 2004 Olympics.

"It is particularly appropriate that the first athletes to be selected to Team GB include Olympic silver and double gold medalist Ben Ainslie as well as Olympic gold medalists Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Iain Percy.

"We are confident that the sailing team will make a significant contribution to Team GB's overall medal tally in Beijing and wish these athletes well as they make their final preparations for the Olympic Games."

Stephen Park, sailing's Team Leader for Beijing 2008, commented: "We're pleased that the RYA's nominated sailors have been accepted as part of Team GB for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and look forward to confirming our nominations in the remaining six classes over the next few months.

"This marks the beginning of the home straight in sailing's preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games, where we hope to surpass our target of three medals on the waters of Qingdao (during a pre-Olympics test event) in August."

Ainslie became the youngest British Olympic sailing medalist when he made his Olympic debut in the Laser class at the Centennial games in Atlanta at the age of 19

He has won eight World and European Championships in his career to date; was crowned ISAF World Sailor of the Year in 1998 and 2002, and four times won British Yachtsman of the Year.

Ainslie's focus for the future is to combine both competing in the America's Cup -- he has been named as skipper for the British 'TeamOrigin' challenge -- with the quest for more Olympic medals in both Beijing and London 2012.

The first members of Team GB for the Beijing Olympics (all from the sport of sailing): Ben Ainslie (Finn class), Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson (Yngling), Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes (49er), Paul Goodison (Laser), and Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (Star). E-mail to a friend