BRITAIN'S bid to raise an America's Cup campaign has suffered a major blow with the news that Lymington yacht star Ben Ainslie accepted an offer to sail for an American challenge.

Without its biggest name, British yachting may struggle to find the crucial backing for the 2003 bid, though Ainslie himself is quite sure his decision to join Peter Gilmour's American syndicate will prove beneficial in the long term.

"I have been talking with Peter for a few months now and the Royal Yachting Association knew that I was having those conversations," said Ainslie, who last week was awarded an MBE for winning a gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games.

"I know a British campaign is being organised, but I had to make a decision before Christmas so I went down to New Zealand where the team was training and sailed with them. I was really impressed.

"It was an extremely hard decision to make since I would love to be part of a British syndicate.

"But I am used to sailing dinghies and have little experience of sailing big boats, so I am on a steep learning curve. This gives me a method of learning."

Britain hopes in the America's Cup, in which they have not competed since 1987, extends to a two-race campaign starting, modestly, in 2003.

Then the main lessons are expected to be learned and this will culminate in the next Cup, when expectations of being a main contender among the challengers will be high.

Ainslie added: "My goal is to race in the America's Cup and in the future to be part of a British campaign.

"The RYA were slightly disappointed to hear of my decision but, in the end, they were very positive and saw it as I see it."

Ainslie returns to Auckland this week to resume his training with the American team after a Christmas break in Norway.

He will spend four months there before arriving back in the UK to start training for the Admiral's Cup in July, after he was selected as helmsman for the Barlo Plastics big boat to race alongside Adrian Stead and crew.