ROCKWOOL Denmark SailGP Team returns to the place it all began as the SailGP fleet heads to Sydney, Australia for the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix on 24-25 February.
The team – which was created by ROCKWOOL in late 2019 – made its SailGP debut racing in Sydney Harbour in February 2020, and returns Down Under for the fourth time as Season 4 heads into its second half.
“It’s fantastic to be back in Sydney – it’s one of the world’s best sailing destinations, and an important venue for our team,” says driver Nicolai Sehested, who returns to the team following absence for paternity leave during the last event in Abu Dhabi in January.
“We have sailed here more than any other venue on the SailGP calendar, and after a couple of light wind events in the Middle East, we’re hoping for some strong sailing conditions, so that we can shake out and really show what we can do,” he adds.
All eyes on the top three
The ROCKWOOL team currently sits fourth in the overall season championship, and will be looking to pile the pressure on the top three with a positive performance in Australia.
“We’re confident we are on the right path, and we keep working hard and focused on one event at a time,” explains Sehested. “It’s a long season, and if you had offered us this spot before the season, we would have taken it – but it means nothing if we don’t keep focused in the next few races.”
With seven Sail Grand Prix ticked off in Season 4, the Danes sit in a strong position on level points with third placed United States SailGP Team – but need to register a good result in Australia in order to keep their dreams of reaching the final podium alive.
Southern hemisphere challenges
The Australia Sail Grand Prix marks the longest trip so far in Season 4, and Sehested claims the change of pace is something that the Danes have struggled with in the past.
“It’s always an interesting time of year when we reach the business end of the season – it means longer trips for the European teams, jet lag and time zone shifts to contend with, plus some pretty unique conditions,” continues Sehested.
“We probably haven’t adapted as well as we would like in previous seasons, but we love sailing in Sydney. When we made our debut here four years ago, we had less than 20 hours experience onboard the F50, and watching the footage back is not pretty – we didn’t really know what to expect, and our goals were to not finish last, and not break the boat. We achieved both!”
He adds: “These days, we go out knowing that we can beat any boat in the fleet, and expecting strong results. It’s testament to what we are building here that most of our team remains unchanged, and has grown together. It’s also thanks to ROCKWOOL for sticking with us and giving us such amazing support over the past three seasons.”
Strong winds predicted in Sydney
The Danes do have some local experience to call on in the form of Australian sailors Tom Johnson and Luke Payne, plus coach Chris Nicholson, who hails from nearby Lake Macquarie.
“We are looking at some heavy conditions this weekend, which I think will be a real challenge for the fleet, and a litmus test for which teams are the ones to watch going into the final push this season,” explains Sehested.
“The last few events, in light conditions, have given a chance for some of the newer teams to learn the ropes in a forgiving environment – but Sydney is a different beast altogether. I’m expecting some epic racing this weekend and our goal is come out and make sure we are on that podium come Sunday evening.”
The KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix takes place on 24-25 February, with racing beginning at 1600 local time – which is 0700 CET. Fans can learn how to tune into the SailGP action live this weekend by heading to sailgp.com/watch
