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After the accident, Elliot thought his life was over – Then he discovered sailing
June 19, 2026 · 31 min · 340 views · Høgda på Nesøya, Norway
Elliot sailing red boat in strong winds, crew braced.
What this video covers
Elliot Finnestrand, a competitive motocross rider from northern Norway, became paralyzed at 16 after a crash at NTG Bærum when he landed off his bike and tumbled 30 meters down a slope.9:41 He was airlifted to Ullevål sykehus, underwent emergency surgery lasting roughly 15 hours, and spent six months at Sunnaas sykehus in rehabilitation.11:56 Friends visiting the hospital suggested sailing; his first time on the water in a Hansa dinghy left him unimpressed in near-zero wind.12:46 A turning point came at an NTG Seiling winter camp in Las Palmas, where coach Thomas Nilsson discovered Finnestrand had never been in water since the accident and was afraid to capsize.14:46 After a slow 30-minute wade into the sea, Finnestrand swam 600 meters the following day.15:33 He then joined NTG Seiling's program, competed at the Hansa class World Championship in Rutland, England in summer 2024 with crewmate Nilas, and won.17:43 At the 2025 World Championship in Oman with new crewmate Stian Kristiansen from Moss, they finished fourth on a tiebreaker.19:05 A European Championship in Germany and the next World Championship in Portimão, Portugal are the upcoming targets. Sailing restored a competitive identity that the accident had stripped away.24:02
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