Nils Frei - Team Alinghi, Switzerland
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| Trimmer Nils Frei training off Auckland in January, Alinghi syndicate. |
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Nils Frei’s second America’s Cup campaign contrasts greatly with his first.
In 1999-2000, he was with Switzerland’s ill-fated Fast 2000 syndicate. This time he’s with Ernesto Bertarelli’s ultra rich Alinghi Swiss Challenge, one of the favourites to challenge Team New Zealand for the Auld Mug.
Nils is a trimmer on the sailing team led by former Team New Zealand skipper, Russell Coutts.
The Swiss national’s partner Caroline has joined him for this campaign.
Q: What activities do you enjoy while you’re in New Zealand?
A: We don’t have a lot of time to spare, but when we do, Caroline and I like to go to the West Coast beaches out of Auckland to do some sand sailing or land yachting. We bought a Blokart for that purpose and love having a sail at Muriwai.
Q: What do you enjoy about living here?
A: There are lots of things. We find New Zealanders are very friendly and the hospitality is a good experience for us wherever we have been.
We like the cafes and the style of life in Ponsonby in Auckland. Your countryside is so beautiful, too. We like the nature.
And there’s also the weather. We like the way it changes so quickly. One moment it can be raining, then it’s fine and then raining again just like that. It’s amazing to watch.
Q: What tourist attractions and activities have you taken in here?
A: We hired a van and spent 10 days or so driving around the South Island. We went to all of the tourist spots like Queenstown, Milford Sound, the glaciers, Christchurch and other places. It was a great way to do the trip, and it was easy just stopping anywhere when we wanted to find places to sleep.
We’re planning to do the same again if we have time later on when the racing is over. It’s the best way to see the country.
Q: You live in Bienne in Switzerland. What are the big differences you notice about life here?
A: Bienne is a small city in Switzerland. Auckland is so much bigger in terms of the population but we don’t feel that we’re living in such a big city. Here you have little suburbs that are like small cities themselves.
We also find people are more flexible than they are at home. They’re more open-minded about taking a break, going somewhere and enjoying life, instead of working from one end of the day to the other as we find at home.
Being near the sea is very different as well. We appreciate that.
Q: What would you rate as your favourite holiday destinations in New Zealand?
A: If we were going to have a holiday for a week or so, then it would be Queenstown. But if it’s a break for a weekend, I’d like to go to the Coromandel Peninsula. We’ve been to Coromandel itself as well as Hot Water Beach and other places there and it’s just so different.
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