ISAF Nations Cup - Crown Prince Frederik joins in

by Signe Damgaard Jepsen, ISAF on 4 Jul 2013 The Nations Cup commences next month (August 6-10) in Middelfart, Denmark and some new match racing talent has been added to the bill in the shape of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark will be contesting an exhibition match on August 8 at 11.10am. As an international class sailor who finished fourth in the Dragon-class boat at the 2003 European Championships and a former Danish navy seal, the Crown Prince is at home on the water.

He will need to be because he is up against Denmark’s latest match racing young gun, the 23-year-old Nicolai Sehested, who is ranked 14th in the world and will be leading Denmark's charge in the Nations Cup.

The Crown Prince, who is a member of the International Olympic Committee, is skippering a crew of Denmark’s past and present Olympic greats: Jesper Bank (Olympic gold medallist, in Barcelona 1992 and in Syndey 2000 in the soling class), Thomas Jacobsen (Olympic gold in soling in 2000), Henrik Blakskjær (Olympic gold medal in the soling in 2000) and Peter Lang (Olympic bronze medal in London in 2012).

The bi-annual Nations Cup is the showcase event for emerging match racing talent and former winners include Ed Baird, the 2007 America’s Cup winning helmsman.

Middelfart will doubtless be a good challenge and all the crews will have to adapt quickly to the conditions in this part of the Triangle Region. The Fænøsund out of Middelfart Marina, with its narrow waters, different and strong currents and localised winds make it unique and exciting for the match race crews and overlooking spectators.

It has never been easier to follow the Nations Cup and now the organisers are offering interested media the chance to plugin commentator-led live streaming of the event into their own websites.

Please note that Crown Prince Frederik will not be holding any official press conference on the day. But there will be opportunities to film and photograph his race up close on the Nations Cup website