Driven by an unrelenting obsession with speed, Nicolai Sehested has transformed Denmark into a powerhouse on the water.
From world-record 24-hour Atlantic runs to setting SailGP's fastest-ever speed record, the ROCKWOOL Denmark driver leads his crew with a hard-hitting, high-octane racing style that pushes competitive sailing to its absolute limits.
Brief overview of Nicolai Sehested’s career in sailing
Nicolai Sehested is a Danish professional sailor and the driver of the ROCKWOOL Denmark SailGP Team. He is also the founder and skipper of Ewii Racing.
Sehested started competitive sailing in the Optimist class at the age of 11. By 2010, he had joined the World Match Racing Tour, where he recorded more than 30 podium finishes.
Between 2014 and 2017, he competed in two editions of The Ocean Race. In 2019, he was appointed the first driver of the Denmark SailGP Team. Since joining SailGP, Sehested has led the Danish team and helped set multiple sailing speed records.
Nicolai Sehested’s age, family and early life
Nicolai Sehested was born on November 6, 1989, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He started sailing at the age of nine and began competing in the Optimist class two years later. As a junior sailor, he became known for his aggressive racing style and willingness to push for speed.
During his youth, Sehested made a deal with his parents that he would never compete in The Ocean Race in exchange for a new boat. He later broke that promise and competed in the race twice.
How did Nicolai Sehested get to SailGP?
Nicolai Sehested reached SailGP after several years in match racing and offshore sailing.
In 2010, he founded Ewii Racing and competed on the World Match Racing Tour. Over the following years, he collected more than 30 podium finishes and became one of Denmark's best-known match racers.
He later competed in The Ocean Race with Team Vestas Wind and Team AkzoNobel. Sehested also won the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup with Team Lyra in 2018 and repeated the achievement in 2019. Ahead of the 2020 SailGP season, he was selected as the first driver of the Denmark SailGP Team.
Notable moments and races in Nicolai Sehested’s career
During the 2017-18 edition of The Ocean Race, Sehested helped set a new 24-hour monohull distance record after covering more than 600 nautical miles in a single day across the Atlantic Ocean.
He won the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup with Team Lyra in 2018 and successfully defended the title the following year.
In 2020, Sehested became the first driver of the Denmark SailGP Team. Under his leadership, the team recorded a speed of 103.93 km/h (56.11 knots), the fastest speed recorded in competitive sail racing at the time.
Nicolai Sehested height: How tall is Nicolai Sehested?
Nicolai Sehested is 6 feet (183 cm) tall.
What is Nicolai Sehested’s net worth?
Nicolai Sehested's net worth has not been publicly disclosed.
Nicolai Sehested’s relationship status: Who is Nicolai Sehested’s wife?
Nicolai Sehested is married to Rikke Møller Pedersen. The couple have two children together.
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Cover Photo: Travis Hayto for SailGP
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