Sir Ben Ainslie has admitted that he is relieved not to be competing at the Rio Olympics next year as he prepares to guide a team to America's Cup glory in 2017.

The 38-year-old, who won his fourth Olympic gold medal at his final Games in London three years ago, has revealed that he struggled with weight gain while competing.

"Thank God I don't have to go through that again," the Daily Mail quotes Ainslie as saying. "It was hard putting on all that weight. I am steering, so I am like the jockey, keeping my weight down so we can get the big guys in.

"My weight has gone down by two stone. I do aerobic work mostly, not lifting big weights. I am healthy in a way I couldn't be if I was doing the Olympics again. Perhaps if I was sitting at home doing nothing I would be thinking about missing Rio but I'm totally consumed by this."

Giles Scott is the favourite to win a medal for Great Britain in Brazil next year.