Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and his wife to sell off their stunning £3.5m nine-bedroom Isle of Wight home as focus turns to America's Cup, writes RICHARD EDEN

Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and his wife to sell off their stunning £3.5m nine-bedroom Isle of Wight home as focus turns to America's Cup, writes RICHARD EDEN By Richard Eden for The Daily Mail Published: 22:39 BST, 26 July 2024 | Updated: 22:50 BST, 26 July 2024 e-mail View comments Winning a single gold medal would be enough for most Olympians — not, though, for Sir Ben Ainslie, who, after victory in Sydney , triumphed again in Athens, Beijing and London, thereby establishing himself as the most successful sailor in the games' history. Now he's focused on winning next month's America's Cup, the world's oldest international sporting competition, which has inspired him since childhood — not least because victory has, so far, eluded Britain since the first ever race in 1851.

The intensity of Ainslie's ambition — and willingness to push himself beyond what others would consider endurable limits — has earned him the admiration of the Princess of Wales , royal patron of his charity, the 1851 Trust, and the unwavering support of his wife, former Sky Sports presenter Georgie Thompson. But I can disclose that it's come at a cost few would be willing to pay: the impending sale of the couple's magical, nine-bedroom house, with swimming pool and croquet lawn, on the Isle of Wight — with £1million knocked off the original asking price. 'It's a real shock because Ben loves the island,' a friend tells me.

And Georgie, 46, a former girlfriend of television star Declan Donnelly , e.