THREE-TIME Olympic champion Ben Ainslie admits Huntingdon sailor Giles Scott has had him running scared this month – and he fears it won’t stop over the next 12.

THREE-TIME Olympic champion Ben Ainslie admits Huntingdon sailor Giles Scott has had him running scared this month – and he fears it won’t stop over the next 12.

Scott, who turns 24 tomorrow, was involved in a mammoth battle with Ainslie in the Finn at the Sail for Gold Regatta in Weymouth at the start of the month cruelly finishing second behind him.

Ainslie’s triumph on the 2012 waters not only dealt Scott a psychological blow but a physiological one, too, with his win seeing him capture the sole Finn spot for August’s Olympic test event.

That would suggest Ainslie is in pole position to do the same at a fifth-career Olympics in London next year but he admits he will be looking over his shoulder at Scott until it’s certain.

“I was relieved to leave having beaten Giles,” said Ainslie, who led Scott in the ISAF World Cup standings following the penultimate regatta in Weymouth.

“And while I know nothing is finalised it has put it in my hands and not Giles’ which is the position you want to be in. There is only one place in the boat though at the Olympics and after the Sail for Gold result I have taken a big step towards that.

“But the results Giles has been getting means he will be pushing me to the end so I know there is no time to relax.

“I know how good he is and that is why I was so relieved just to make sure I was the one who won an incredibly competitive and important event in Weymouth.

“Giles was second and he pushed me really hard, he’s very talented and he wasn’t going to make it easy for me and I’m sure he’ll continue to push me.”

Little less than a year ago the roles were reversed with Scott winning the Sail for Gold Regatta and becoming the first person to defeat Ainslie in the Finn in six years.

The triple Olympic champion had literally just returned to Finn sailing after a period concentrating on the America’s Cup – but remains aware that Scott is capable of beating him.

“Giles was very impressive while I was away and it was always going to be a very tough competition to get the solitary Finn place,” he added.

“He won Sail for Gold last year which was an important result for him and made the weekend just gone a very important event.”

n The J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race is the fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK. Organised by the Island Sailing Club, it is dubbed ‘Britain’s favourite yacht race’, attracting over 1,800 yachts and 16,000 competitors. www.roundtheisland.org.uk