Kate Middleton has given her backing to British Olympic sailor Ben Ainslie's America's Cup bid. <br />
Kate Middleton has given her backing to British Olympic sailor Ben Ainslie's America's Cup bid.
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The Duchess of Cambridge is the patron of 1851 Trust, a charity set up by Ainslie's sailing team which provides nautical education for young people.<br />
The Duchess of Cambridge is the patron of 1851 Trust, a charity set up by Ainslie's sailing team which provides nautical education for young people.
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Middleton helped open the Trust's new education center in Portsmouth, in the south of England. The center -- called the "Tech Deck" -- features exhibitions on the science behind America's Cup engineering. <br />
Middleton helped open the Trust's new education center in Portsmouth, in the south of England. The center -- called the "Tech Deck" -- features exhibitions on the science behind America's Cup engineering.
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The Duchess then strapped herself in for a ride on Ainslie's 45-foot catamaran. <br />
The Duchess then strapped herself in for a ride on Ainslie's 45-foot catamaran.
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Ainslie was testing the yacht ahead of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series in Portsmouth, in late July. The two-day racing event is a build-up for next year's America's Cup Challenger series<br />
Ainslie was testing the yacht ahead of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series in Portsmouth, in late July. The two-day racing event is a build-up for next year's America's Cup Challenger series
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Middleton, a keen sailor, helped with the rigging while the yacht sliced through waves at around 38 mph (61 kilometers per hour).
Middleton, a keen sailor, helped with the rigging while the yacht sliced through waves at around 38 mph (61 kilometers per hour).
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The training session took place on the Solent, a strait of water separating mainland England from the Isle of Wight, and where the original America's Cup race set sail in 1851.
The training session took place on the Solent, a strait of water separating mainland England from the Isle of Wight, and where the original America's Cup race set sail in 1851.
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Ainslie launched his own multi-million dollar America's Cup bid in 2014, vowing to bring the trophy back to UK soil for the first time in 165 years.
Ainslie launched his own multi-million dollar America's Cup bid in 2014, vowing to bring the trophy back to UK soil for the first time in 165 years.
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Middleton has since been a high-profile patron of Ainslie's sailing team.<br />"You can tell she has done a lot of sailing, she was a natural on board," said Ainslie of the Duchess.
Middleton has since been a high-profile patron of Ainslie's sailing team.
"You can tell she has done a lot of sailing, she was a natural on board," said Ainslie of the Duchess.
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With Middleton on board, Ainslie has been testing one of his team's development yachts -- a foiling AC45 catamaran.
With Middleton on board, Ainslie has been testing one of his team's development yachts -- a foiling AC45 catamaran.
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