Nils Frei was schooled on the Swiss lakes that he grew up around and on which his sailing career as a trimmer began to take shape from an early age. A six-time Swiss champion in the dinghy class, Nils actually first sailed for Alinghi in the 1996 Bol d’Or, before really joining the team in 2003 and helping it to secure the Louis Vuitton Cup en route to the first America’s Cup. Since that auspicious start, Nils has been with Alinghi on its many adventures in the D35 and X40 classes, playing a key role in securing the many titles along the way, most recently the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series crown. He was also a part of the crew for the 2010 Deed of Gift match.