An exciting team is coming to the Worlds in 11:Metre One Design at Lake Balaton later this summer. Team Proximo with Ian Ainslie as a primus motor have now confirm their registration for the Worlds at Lake Balaton from 5-9th of August.

We in International 11 Meter One Design Class Association have talked to the the strategist of the America Cup Boat, Team Shosholoza, Ian Ainslie from South Africa

Have you sailed 11 meter before?
No, I have never been on board the boats before. We hope to sail in the Hungarian championships in a few weeks time.
Why Hungary and World Championship in 11 meter one design this summer?
I just got married to a Hungarian, so I will be spending the northern hemisphere summers here on Lake Balaton in the future. we saw the boats sailing and thought they looked nice and then we noticed that the World Championships would be here and it always fun to try and sail in a class that you know nothing about and learn about it.
Your goal for this 11 meter campain?
It is part of a wider goal of Team Proximo to develop a professional racing team here in Hungary. We don’t have too much time as we are racing in France in a match race right before the regatta, but the hope is that we will be able to figure out how to get some speed out of the boat by the time the racing starts.
The result you are most proud of as a sailor?
Actually, there isn’t one particular result that stands out as special, but probably winning the ISAF nations cup in 1995 was a “proud’ moment because we had just become a democratic country and I was really proud to represent my “new” country and be part of a winning team. In 1992, we were allowed to attend the Olympics for the first time and it was really fun even though we still didn’t have a national flag or anthem yet, but we had a lot of hope.
You where participating in the last Americas Cup campaign for South Africa. What was your role on board?
I had various roles. I started off on the traveler or the aft grind for the first few regattas and then I was helmsman for the trapani event. We finished 5th in the fleet racing and won 3 races in the match racing, so that was fun. For the last year, I was the strategist, which I was happy with because I was able to learn a lot and have fun. In the end, we were very proud of the growth of the team. The highlight was winning a race against one of the “big 4” – Luna Rossa
Home in South Africa, you have built up your own sailing school, please tell us little bit of that.
Have a look at
www.izivungu.co.zaWe have such a divided society in south Africa and sailing is for the “haves”. We started a school for children from informal (squatter) settlements or other impoverished township areas. It has been enormously rewarding. The kids are really good and the school has changed the face of sailing in the country. In a few weeks, 2 of the very talented kids will come to Hungary to race in the 420 European championships, also sponsored by Team Proximo.
We will also invite you and your team to the Norwegian Championship, taking place in the Oslofjord 21-23 of August. What are you thinking about that?
Thank you, but we will actually be in Scandinavia, doing the Baltic match race tour at that time
You’re currently ISAF ranking in Match Racing:
10