Team Vestas Wind bank on mix of experience and youthful energy

Chris Nicholson's Team Vestas Wind out on the water © Brian Carlin / Team Vestas Wind

Chris Nicholson's Team Vestas Wind crew will enter the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 with less time to prepare than any of their rivals but brimming with experience combined with youthful energy.

The Australian skipper is banking on the tried and tested including two sailors with seven Volvo Ocean Races under their belts already – New Zealanders Tony Rae and Rob Salthouse – in his crew announced today.

The pair is joined by two other crew members with Race experience, Dutch navigator Wouter Verbraak and the first Argentine to be named for this year's race, Maciel Cichetti.

Nicholson will also have plenty of new talent on board with 23-year-old Australian Tom Johnson joining Danish Volvo Ocean Race first-timers Nicolai Sehested and Peter Wibroe.

To complete the team, Irish film-maker and photographer Brian Carlin will be responsible for bringing the story of Team Vestas Wind to millions of fans around the world as Onboard Reporter.

Said Nicholson: "We need a crew with plenty of guys on board who know exactly what the Volvo Ocean Race is all about, guys who can hit the ground running and help make us competitive in the shortest time possible. And we also need a team that can gel quickly because this race more than ever before, will be about teamwork and making the right decisions together."

Nicholson continued: "We're confident we've achieved just that with a mixture of huge experience in Trae (Rae), Salty (Salthouse) and myself and guys who are ready to learn from them like Nicolai (Sehested) and Peter (Wibroe). Vestas' core business values of accountability, simplicity and collaboration are spot on for what we're trying to achieve with our crew. If we can show those qualities under the extreme pressure of the Volvo Ocean Race we'll do just fine."

The line-up in full with their sailing - and human - credentials:

Chris Nicholson (Australia)
Role: Skipper
DOB: 18/06/1969
Age: 45
Nickname: Nico
Nico has competed in the Volvo Ocean Race four times. He has represented Australia at the Sydney and Athens Olympics and is a six-time world champion. He's cool under pressure and one of the sport's nice guys – but underneath there's a fierce competitor. He finished second last time in 2011-12 as skipper of CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand.

Other Interesting Fact: Fourth time around the world. Was an electrician by trade and was once a miner.

Family: Partner + two sons + one dog + two horses + two chickens

Nicolai Sehested (Danish)
Role: Trimmer and boat captain
DOB: 06/11/1989
Age: 24
Nicolai has a solid background in match racing having recently competed in the SAP Extreme 40 series. One of the shining stars in Danish sailing. He's got a big job for a young man but he has an old head on those young shoulders.

Other Interesting Fact: Grew up on a farm and is a keen hunter.

Family: Parents + two older sisters

Peter Wibroe (Danish)
Role: Trimmer, data processing and food.
DOB: 24/05/1985
Age: 29
Pete also has a solid background in match racing. He was a crew member of the SAP Extreme 40 and has competed in the Melges 32 and RC 44. Pete has a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences with a master's degree in nanotechnology.

Other Interesting Fact: Growing up, he always wanted to be a musician, and his biggest talent was his ability to sleep during transportation – let's hope he can stay awake on the boat! Pete's bachelor of nanotechnology thesis topic was: "Exploring encapsulation efficiency in single vehicles by passive transport across bilayers around phase transition". (Amazing!)

Family: Parents + one brother + one sister

Tony Rae (New Zealand)
Role: Helmsman, trimmer, medic, sail maker.
DOB: 26/06/1961
Age: 53
Nickname: Trae
Trae has competed in the Volvo Ocean race four times. He has been a member of Team NZ since 1987 and has been with Team NZ for all seven of their America's Cup campaigns. He is one of the most respected men in the sport of sailing and if all goes wrong, he boasts a singing voice to cheer up his crewmates. He's the front man for the Volvo Ocean Race rock band.

Other Interesting Fact: Had two cats but had to sell them because he was doing this race.

Family: Wife + two daughters

Rob Salthouse (New Zealand)
Role: Watch captain, driver, trimmer, sail maker.
DOB: 05/12/1965
Age: 48
Nickname: Salty
Salty has competed in three Volvo Ocean Races, four America Cup regattas with Team New Zealand, eight Sydney-to-Hobart races and five Atmel Cup races. Knows the sport inside out and will be once again Nico's rock on board after sailing with him in 2011-12 on CAMPER.

Other Interesting Fact: This will be his fourth lap around the world.

Family: Wife + two daughters + one son

Tom Johnson (Australia)
Role: Hellman's trimmer and bowman and sail maker.
DOB: 23/02/1991
Age: 23
Nickname: Don
Don is the youngest on board Team Vestas. He has recently competed in the SAP Extreme 40 Sailing series and has a strong background in Moth and 49er sailing. Nico predicts his background on high performance dinghies will help him develop into one of the fastest drivers on board Team Vestas Wind.

Other Interesting Fact: He grew up in Mandurah in Western Australia and when not sailing, he surfs, skates and goes camping.

Family: Parents + one sister

Wouter Verbraak (Dutch)
Role: Navigator.
DOB: 16/11/1975
Age: 38
Wouter has competed in the Volvo Ocean Race twice, the America's Cup, the 2011 Barcelona World Race and all world major regattas.

Other Interesting Fact: Wouter loves skiing with his family. Unfortunately missing out on this year's skiing means he will never keep up with his 10-year-old son's 93kmh skiing!

Family: Wife + one son + one dog

Maciel Cichetti (Argentine)
Role: Watch captain, Driver, Trimmer
DOB: 24/09/1973
Age: 40
Nickname: Cicho
Cicho has a wealth of experience across the Volvo Ocean Race and Americas Cup. He is a World Champion in the RC 44 sailing class and a highly sought after trimmer in the TP52's. His experience of one-design sailing with the TP52s, Melges should be invaluable.

Other Interesting Fact: Born in Argentina, married a Swede, has three children who were all born in different cities around the world. Favourite pastime includes watching rugby with his son, enjoying "asados" (Argentinian barbeques) with friends and (if time permits) trekking in the mountains.

Family: Wife + two daughters + one son

Brian Carlin (Irish)
Role: On Board Reporter (OBR).
DOB: 05/01/1984
Age: 30
Brian has a long history in film and photography in the sailing arena in both match racing and America's Cup. He is responsible for all media content received from onboard the boat and also responsible for food. He's an Irishman so he's a born communicator who has already made himself popular with the crew. Let's hope he can cook well too!

Other Interesting Fact: He is also an Architect. He would live in South East Asia if he had the chance.

Family: Parents + one brother (who is a chef)