Ainslie's toughest test

Sailor in final line up for BBC Sports Personality of the Year

He has already become Britain’s most successful ever Olympic sailor and been named ISAF Male World Sailor of the Year. Ben Ainslie is now in the running for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Ainslie, who claimed his third consecutive gold and fourth Olympic medal in total with emphatic Finn class victory at Beijing 2008, was last night revealed as being on the final shortlist of 10 in the running for this year’s award.

No sailor has ever received the prestigious BBC accolade, awarded annually since 1954, and it could be another tough night for the sailors with a very strong field of competitors:

Ben Ainslie
Joe Calzaghe
Nicole Cooke
Lewis Hamilton
Chris Hoy
Andy Murray
Christine Ohuruogu
Rebecca Romero
Bradley Wiggins

The Lymington-based helm became Britain’s youngest ever Olympic sailing medallist when on his Games debut at Atlanta 1996 Ainslie won Laser class silver aged just 19.

However after going one better with his first Olympic gold at Sydney 2000, the 31-year-old switched to the bigger Finn class and he remains unbeaten in the class since 2004.

The images of Ainslie mastering the elements to claim a stunning medal race victory and wrap up his third consecutive Olympic title in Qingdao will endure forever.

In completing his golden hat-trick, Ainslie joins an elite band of just 10 British athletes to have ever claimed three or more Olympic crowns.

But, like Ainslie, only three of those legendary Olympians won their golds at consecutive Games – five-time champion Sir Steven Redgrave and four-time gold medallist Sir Matthew Pinsent made history in rowing while Paul Radmilovic won three back-to-back water polo golds between 1908 and 1920 as well as another swimming relay gold in 1908.

Ainslie's success in the past year away from the Olympic sailing competition are just as impressive: In January, the Skandia Team GBR star claimed an unprecedented fifth World title at the Finn Gold Cup in Melbourne and then followed that up with a fourth European class crown in May. Before August’s Olympics, he also wrapped up victories at Grade 1 events in Sydney and Melbourne and at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma.

The 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year takes place at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Sunday, 14 December and voting will take place by phone only during the live show. The number to call to vote for Ainslie will be revealed on the programme after 7pm.

There is no voting via the BBC Sport website or by text – calls on the night will cost 15p from a BT landline. Calls from mobile phones and other networks will cost more.