Ainslie secured valuable win in Malaysia

Ainslie went down three-nil to Adam Minoprio of New Zealand (AP)

Ben Ainslie banked a valuable win in his opening quarter final tussle with Damien Iehl of France at the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia.

The triple Olympic gold medallist and skipper of Britain's Team Origin America's Cup challenge had topped the round robin of the final event of the 2009 World Match Race Tour, but the reigning world champion, fellow-Briton Ian Williams, had seen any hope of scoring a hat-trick evaporate in the knockout qualifier.

In the other three matches, two of which also feature French sailors, Sebastien Col beat Phil Robertson of New Zealand, world champion apparent Adam Minoprio, also of New Zealand, beat Mathieu Richard of France and first blood in the all-Australian clash went to the veteran Peter Gilmour over fellow Perth sailor Torvar Mirsky.