Audi MedCup 2010: Ben Ainslie disappointed with fourth

Team Origin bowed out of the Audi MedCup with a high speed thrash through the waters off Cagliari in Sardinia to finish their first and last TP52 season in a creditable fourth place overall.

Ben Ainslie - Ben Ainslie skippering Team Origin
At the helm: Ben Ainslie, seen here at last month's Cowes Week, was disappointed with fourth place overall for Team Origin Credit: Photo: GETTY IMAGES

According to skipper Ben Ainslie, there were gusts of more than 30 knots propelling the fleet through the waters at around 22 knots, their most testing conditions of the entire five regatta series which was won by 2009 champions Emirates Team New Zealand.

"We set our goal to finish in the top three so we are a bit disappointed but as a team we learned a lot," said Ainslie, who finished the series promisingly by posting a second place before racing was scrapped due to the high winds.

"It has been a good process to go through as a team and although it has been frustrating at times, we have come out better at the end of it.

"I've really enjoyed the racing – it has been fantastic and if an opportunity arose in the future to return, then I'd be keen but with the move to multihulls in the America's Cup, it looks like we will be racing Extreme 40s next year."