{{short description|British competitive sailor (born 1989)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox sportsperson|name = Nicola Groves|image =|caption =|headercolor = lightblue|birth_name =|fullname =|nickname =|nationality = British|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|4|4|df=y}}|birth_place =|death_date =|death_place =|residence =|website =|country =|sport = Sailing|event =|collegeteam =|club =|team =|turnedpro =|coach =|retired =|coaching =|worlds =|regionals =|nationals =|olympics =|paralympics =|highestranking =|pb =|medaltemplates =|height ={{convert|5|ft|6|in|cm|abbr=on}}|weight ={{convert|63|kg|lb|0}} <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/athlete/nicola-groves |title=Nicola Groves |website=rio2016.com |access-date=2016-08-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806041614/https://www.rio2016.com/en/athlete/nicola-groves |archive-date=2016-08-06 }}</ref>|imagesize =}}
'''Nicola Groves''' (born 4 April 1989) is a British competitive sailor. She competed for Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
== Early life == Groves was born and raised in London, England.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rya.org.uk/britishsailingteam/meettheteam/pages/nicolagroves.aspx|title=Nicola Groves {{!}} Team {{!}} The British Sailing Team {{!}} RYA|website=www.rya.org.uk|access-date=2016-09-25|archive-date=28 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728125847/http://www.rya.org.uk/britishsailingteam/meettheteam/pages/nicolagroves.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> When Groves was 10 or 11, her mother took Groves and her brother to a local sailing club, Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club in West Molesey, to give the children something to do during the weekend.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swlondoner.co.uk/highlight-life-surbiton-sailor-nicola-groves-going-gold-rio-olympics/|title='The highlight of my life': Surbiton sailor Nicola Groves going for gold in Rio Olympics - South West Londoner|last=Marsh|first=David|date=2016-04-01|website=swlondoner.co.uk|publisher=|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref> Groves attended Exeter University where she competed in sailing.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/nicola-groves-keen-previous-experiences-sailing/story-29006857-detail/story.html|title=Nicola Groves keen to see previous experiences of sailing in Brazil pay off ahead of Rio Olympics|date=2016-03-28|access-date=2016-09-25}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She was part of Exeter's winning team at the 2009 BUCS Fleet Racing Championships.<ref name=":2" /> She graduated in 2010 with a BSc in Human Biosciences.<ref name=":0" />
== Career == In 2013, Groves was paired with Penny Clark and competing for Team Great Britain in 49er FX skiff sailing event with her sights set on that event for the 2016 Summer Olympics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lensburyclub.com/news-events/news-and-press-releases/archives/gb-sailor-nicola-groves-launches-the-richmond-borough-youth-team-at-the-lensbury/|title=Team GB Sailor Nicola Groves launches The Richmond Borough Youth Team Trials at The Lensbury - Lensbury Club|website=www.lensburyclub.com|access-date=2016-09-25|archive-date=27 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927122959/http://www.lensburyclub.com/news-events/news-and-press-releases/archives/gb-sailor-nicola-groves-launches-the-richmond-borough-youth-team-at-the-lensbury/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Groves then competed with Frances Peters, still in the 49er FX.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/news/Pages/BritishSailingTeamconcludesmid-cyclesquadreview.aspx|title=British Sailing Team concludes mid-cycle squad review|access-date=2016-09-25|archivedate=27 September 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927131429/http://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/news/Pages/BritishSailingTeamconcludesmid-cyclesquadreview.aspx|url-status=deviated}}</ref>
In 2014, Groves partnered with Ben Saxton, competing in Nacra 17 mixed multihull events.<ref name=":0" /> The pairs first competition was the 2015 Miami World Cup Regatta where they placed second.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nacra17class.com/nacra-17-team-gbr-ben-saxton-and-nicola-groves/|title=Nacra 17 Team GBR Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves|date=2016-08-12|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-25|archive-date=27 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927015352/http://www.nacra17class.com/nacra-17-team-gbr-ben-saxton-and-nicola-groves/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Groves and Saxton were 2015 European Champions in their event.<ref name=":1" /> In December 2015 Groves and Saxton placed third at the Copa do Brazil in Rio.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sailing/2016/08/05/rio-olympics-2016-ben-saxton-and-nicola-groves-nacra-17-preview/|title=Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves make their Olympic debut sailing mixed multihull Nacra 17 class|last=Brown|first=Luke|date=2016-08-05|website=|publisher=The Telegraph|access-date=2016-09-25}}</ref> To start the 2016 season they placed sixth at both the Sailing World Cup Miami, and the Nacra 17 World Championship.<ref name=":1" />
Heading into the 2016 Olympics, Groves and Saxton were ranked 6th in the world in Nacra 17 class.<ref name=":1" /> 2016 marked the return of the multihull discipline to the Olympics and marked the first time the event was contested at the Olympics with mixed teams of women and men.<ref name=":1" /> She competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, in the mixed Nacra 17, finishing in 9th place.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/athlete/nicola-groves |title=Nicola Groves |website=rio2016.com |access-date=12 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806041614/https://www.rio2016.com/en/athlete/nicola-groves |archive-date=6 August 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-nacra-17-mixed |title=Rio 2016 |website=Rio 2016 |access-date=2016-09-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820173614/https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-nacra-17-mixed |archive-date=2016-08-20 }}</ref>
Groves retired from Olympic sailing in 2017. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/194254/Nacra-duo-Saxton-and-Groves-to-part-ways |title=Saxton & Groves to part ways }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://twitter.com/NicolaGroves2 Nicola Groves] on Twitter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Groves, Nicola}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:British female sailors (sport) Category:Olympic sailors for Great Britain Category:Sailors at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Nacra 17 Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter