Ben Ainslie: Close to The Wind
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'Take it from a neutral observer: the most accomplished competitor at work in British sport today is Ben Ainslie. Chris Hoy, Lewis Hamilton and Rebecca Adlington deserve praise but the real fanfare should be reserved for Ainslie ... [He has] a combination of dedication, stamina, tactical nous and, the clincher here, a sustained level of ruthlessness rarely witnessed before in British sport.' Henry Winter, Daily Telegraph Sailing's superman The Times
Book Description
The world's greatest racing sailor - three-times Olympic champion Ben Ainslie tells his story
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Yesterday I started (and finished) reading Ben's autobiography, `Close to the Wind'. He covers, in a fairly haphazard order; his Olympic campaigns, duels with Robert Scheidt, Oppie racing, his involvement with various AC campaigns, training, his dislike of Guillaume Florent (cheating Frenchman who's good, but not good enough) and his poor performance at school. Arguably he could have left that last part out - the book's riddled with spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors. At least it proves he really did write it himself, I guess. And giving it the same title as Pete Goss' unimaginatively titled book was an odd move.
Throughout the book he's borrowed Dame Ellen's self-conscious, self-deprecating style, though thankfully he's yet to adopt the pained martyr-smile that's the Weepy One's trademark. (Or is it just wind? Should her book have been called "I've Got Wind"?) Anyway, despite all that, it's a great read if you're interested in Olympic sailing, AC sailing or what makes the finest sailor on the planet tick - and, can, cope, with, random, unnecessary, commas - and dashes - everywhere - and sentences that are, frankly, just a bit too long and feature the word - `frankly' - too often.
It would have been great if he'd called it "The Queen's going to have to Knight me in 3 Years", and written the thing via dictaphone whilst out racing when, by his own admission, he's a very different character. I'd have loved to have heard more about incidents and his attitude on the water. The last thing I want to know is that he's a nice guy too. He's obviously not when he's racing! (and long may that last - at least till the AC's in British hands)
Not quite un-put-down'able (unless you've really got nothing else to do, as I didn't), but still a page-turner (unless you've got no arms) and certainly an enjoyable read.
Oh and, like Dame Ellen, he was bullied at school. So the finest two contemporary British sailors both kicked off by having their heads flushed down the loo. Hurrah for the British education system. If you want your kids to be world class sailors the message is clear - get them rubbish haircuts, ill fitting clothes, move halfway across the country and send them to a rough state school. It worked for me. Apart from the world class bit.
And at least he finished this one, unlike "Ben Ainslie's Laser Campaign Manual" which reads like he got bored, said `sod it', and fired it off to the undiscerning publishers half-finished. That really wasn't worth the wonga - this one certainly is.
Throughout the book he's borrowed Dame Ellen's self-conscious, self-deprecating style, though thankfully he's yet to adopt the pained martyr-smile that's the Weepy One's trademark. (Or is it just wind? Should her book have been called "I've Got Wind"?) Anyway, despite all that, it's a great read if you're interested in Olympic sailing, AC sailing or what makes the finest sailor on the planet tick - and, can, cope, with, random, unnecessary, commas - and dashes - everywhere - and sentences that are, frankly, just a bit too long and feature the word - `frankly' - too often.
It would have been great if he'd called it "The Queen's going to have to Knight me in 3 Years", and written the thing via dictaphone whilst out racing when, by his own admission, he's a very different character. I'd have loved to have heard more about incidents and his attitude on the water. The last thing I want to know is that he's a nice guy too. He's obviously not when he's racing! (and long may that last - at least till the AC's in British hands)
Not quite un-put-down'able (unless you've really got nothing else to do, as I didn't), but still a page-turner (unless you've got no arms) and certainly an enjoyable read.
Oh and, like Dame Ellen, he was bullied at school. So the finest two contemporary British sailors both kicked off by having their heads flushed down the loo. Hurrah for the British education system. If you want your kids to be world class sailors the message is clear - get them rubbish haircuts, ill fitting clothes, move halfway across the country and send them to a rough state school. It worked for me. Apart from the world class bit.
And at least he finished this one, unlike "Ben Ainslie's Laser Campaign Manual" which reads like he got bored, said `sod it', and fired it off to the undiscerning publishers half-finished. That really wasn't worth the wonga - this one certainly is.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have been into sailing for many years, growing up in Liverpool and getting involved in it when I went on a sailing trip with the school in North Wales. I went after being talked round by my dad and after that week, I didn't want to come home. I realised I loved it! Ten years later, I STILL love it! I have been a huge fan of Ben Ainslie since Sydney 2000 after watching that race with Robert Scheidt (even if it was in the middle of the night and on a school night). In all my life, I have never been so in awe of any yachtsman who has made sailing so easy and who has dominated the sport and more. Since the tender age of 19, after winning a silver medal in Atlanta to winning his third gold in Beijing, he has become a sailing legend and icon in his own lifetime. His story is something of a movie: from a boy being bullied at school for being different to someone who has proved to his doubter and who have mentally hurt him in the past into a sailing superstar. I have gone back to sailing because after watching his third gold medal attempt last summer in Beijing, reminded me of when I first went sailing ten years before. The America's Cup is the biggest goal on Ainslie's horizon and thank God, we have a brilliant sailor who could bring the famous cup back to Britain. Besides everything he has achieved, he has remained modest and down to earth. Take my word for it and read his story. He's the best thing that has ever happened to British sailing for a long time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A good book for sailing/olympic enthusiasts
Its a very interesting book about a great sailor but lacking in some detail - I would have like some more substance about his training regime, what it was like helming an ACC boat... Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2009 by D. JTattersall
a must for every sailor
The true story of the greatest living sailor. Read his story about the last four Olympics. a must for everybody who want to start yachtracing
Published on 8 Oct 2009 by W. Broer
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