Double Olympic champion Ben Ainslie could still add to his medal collection in Beijing next year despite his commitment to Britain's America's Cup challenge.
Lymington-based Ainslie was announced as the skipper of Sir Keith Mills' Team Origin boat last week and was not named in the Royal Yachting Association's initial Olympic team yesterday.
But Skandia Team GBR chief Stephen Park has insisted Ainslie could still defend the Finn gold medal he won in Athens.
"I'm speaking regularly with Ben and he wants to compete at the Olympics," said Park.
"However, we don't want Ben to compromise his position with Team Origin or the Olympic team.
"We've been in discussions with him and his managers at Team Origin.
"We have to make sure that Ben's America's Cup obligations aren't going to prevent him from completing the programme of events he'll need to if he is to be competitive in Beijing.
"However, we've still not been able to get the whole committee together to finalise our decision about the Finn class - that's why we've not made a selection known yet".
Ainslie is not competing at this week's Skandia Sail for Gold regatta at Weymouth's 2012 venue, instead concentrating on meeting potential Team Origin sponsors at the Southampton Boat Show.
British number two Ed Wright was second in the Finn class after yesterday's first round of races off the south coast, just behind Sweden's Daniel Birgmark.
British windsurfer Lucy Horwood won the opening race of the women's windsurfing but was rushed to hospital with a suspected broken thumb.
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