Nieuwenhuis started in the optimist dinghy where he picked up the first racing skills. Soon he moved on to Olympic classes and started in the Tornado class in 1994. He was recruited by coach Roy Heiner as a talent for his big boat campaigns. After 5 years of big boat sailing Pim moved back again to sail Olympic classes, this time in the 49er, missing out on the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Nieuwenhuis started a new Olympic campaign with Mitch Booth in the tornado in 2006.