Story highlights Sailor Paul Elvstrom dies aged 88

Won four consecutive Olympic golds

Dane competed at eight Olympic Games

(CNN) Denmark's Paul Elvstrom -- an Olympic yachting great, sailing pioneer and an inspiration to many -- has died peacefully in his sleep aged 88.

Elvstrom, who died Wednesday at his birthplace in Hellerup, won four consecutive Olympic gold medals between 1948 and 1960.

His Olympic streak has only been matched in sailing by Briton Ben Ainslie, who clinched his fourth gold medal in a row in 2012.

Saddened to hear the legendary Paul Elvstrom has passed away. He was an inspiration to pretty much anyone who stepped foot on a sailing boat — Ben Ainslie (@AinslieBen) December 7, 2016

Elvstrom retired from Olympic sailing after competing at Seoul as a 60-year-old in 1988, his eighth Games over a 40-year career.

Named Denmark's sportsman of the century in 1996, he also won 11 world championships and seven European championships.