The 31-year-old, from Macclesfield, crushed the opposition to win the Finn medal, clinching a gold medal for the third consecutive games.

He described the success as a culmination of efforts which began when he first sat in a boat at the age of eight with his family in Restronguet, Cornwall.

Inspired by his father, Roddy, who took part in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973, Ainslie first won an Olympic medal, a silver, in Atlanta in 1996.

Reflecting on today's success, he said his parents were at home watching on television.

"It is a shame they were weren't here but huge thanks to them," he told the BBC.

"I'm kind of speechless, it's been a difficult week. I almost felt this medal race would never come.

"To finally get there, get some great breeze and to win the race after two or three years of hard work means it's all been worth it. I'm a happy man."

Ainslie, of Royal Lymington Yacht Club, admitted he would like to attempt to add to his list of Olympic achievements on home soil.

He added: "It's pretty good going (to have four medals) but the draw of 2012, on home waters, is huge.

"It's a long way away, we'll see. If I got the chance to be there and to do well, I'd love to do it."

Ainslie hoped his win and the gold medal for the Yngling team of Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson earlier in the day will help Team GB to kick on and pick up more medals in the regatta.

He added: "It's fantastic and I'm so pleased for the girls. I watched their race and they sailed a really impressive race against the Dutch. That wasn't easy having a boat one point behind you.

"That was an inspiration watching them and hopefully that's a good start for the sailing team.

"Hopefully we can get into position in all the other classes and hopefully we can make that count."