Hong Kong Youth America’s Cup protégé draws on experience to think fast and make good decisions
- Nicolai Jacobsen, winner of the WASZP European Championship at just 16 years old, says his long-term goal is the senior America’s Cup
Nicolai Jacobsen has taken the first step on a long journey to the pinnacle of sailing by being selected on the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Team Agiplast for the Youth America’s Cup.
Jacobsen, a Hong Kong-raised Norwegian, is the youngest of the four team members announced so far at just 17-years-old, but he has big plans.
“My ultimate goal is the [senior] America’s Cup,” he said. “There's a long way to get there for sure. But I think that if I continue working hard, I'm young so I have time to get there.
“The thing about sailing is that compared to other sports, like rowing, if you are faster then you qualify for the Olympics. In sailing it's hard to classify skills the same way. You can't put it in numbers. To qualify for an America’s Cup team there are many ways to get there. Being part of a programme like this is perfect.”
Jacobsen has been picked alongside Calum Gregor (21), Maria Cantero (22), Jackie Truhol (21) and Aymeric Gillard (23). The Cup will take place in Auckland, New Zealand, in March 2021.
All competitors have to be between 18 and 24 years old at the time of competition. The race will be held with AC9F 9m monohull foiling boats. The foiling, or hydrofoil, dagger board is shaped so the boat is lifted out of the water once it is moving fast enough, to reduce drag.