SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Ben Ainslie, the most successful sailor in Olympic history, has replaced John Kostecki as tactician for struggling America’s Cup champion Oracle Team USA.
The move had been expected since Kostecki called for a foiling tack that cost the American syndicate the lead in a punishing loss to Emirates Team New Zealand in Race 5 on Tuesday.
Oracle played its one postponement card of the regatta and delayed Race 6 until Thursday.
The 36-year-old Ainslie won four straight Olympic gold medals for Britain and also has a silver. He was knighted in March.
Team New Zealand leads 4 to minus-1. Oracle Team USA, owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison, was docked two points in the biggest cheating scandal in the 162-year history of the America’s Cup.
