Peter Blake (yachtsman)
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Sir Peter James Blake, KBE (October 1, 1948–December 6, 2001) was a New Zealand yachtsman who led his country to two successive America’s Cup victories. He previously won the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989, and the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994 by setting the fastest time around the world of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds on catamaran Enza. Blake was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1995 for services to yachting, and received a honorary doctorate in 2000 from AUT University. He was murdered by pirates on 5 December 2001 during an environmental exploration trip in South America.
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[edit] Whitbread Round the World Race
Blake is the only sailor to have taken part in the first five Whitbread Round the World races.
In 1974, Blake competed in his first Whitbread race as a watch officer on Les Williams' and Alan Smith's damage-riddled Burton Cutter.
In the 1977–78 race, he rejoined Les Williams this time with co-skipper Johnston on board Heath’s Condor.
For the 1981–82 race, Blake mounted his own campaign as skipper of Ceramco New Zealand, a 68 ft sloop designed by an up-and-coming naval architect called Bruce Farr.
Blake returned to the Whitbread Round the World race in 1985 with one of the race favourites, Lion New Zealand, sponsored by the Lion Brewery.
In the 1989–90 Whitbread race, Blake skippered Steinlager to an unprecedented clean sweep. His team walked off with line, handicap and overall honours on each of the race's six legs.
[edit] America's Cup
Brought in at the last minute by Sir Michael Fay to manage New Zealand's 1992 America's Cup challenge, Blake led the Kiwi team to the challenger finals with NZL-20. However, Italy emerged from the controversial series with the Louis Vuitton Cup, and went on to face America³ in the America's Cup match.
In 1995 Blake was back, this time as the syndicate head of Team New Zealand. With NZL 32, "Black Magic", they made a clean sweep, beating Dennis Conner 5-0.
In 2000 Team New Zealand, still led by Blake, became the first non American team to successfully defend the Americas Cup, beating Prada 5-0.
After the 2000 defence Sir Peter stood down from the team.
[edit] Death and legacy
On 6 December 2001, pirates murdered Blake while he was on an environmental exploration trip in South America for Blake Expeditions. The two-month expedition was anchored off Macapá, at the mouth of the Amazon delta, waiting to clear customs after a trip up the Amazon river. A group of seven or eight armed, masked robbers wearing balaclavas and crash helmets boarded his yacht, Seamaster. They shot Sir Peter while he was attempting to defend himself and his crew; he died instantly. The boarders injured two other crew members, and the remaining seven were unhurt.[citation needed]
The assailants may have been from a local pirate group known as the "Water Rats." The only booty they seized from Seamaster was a 15 hp outboard motor and some watches from the crew. Authorities eventually captured the pirates and sentenced them to an average of 32 years in prison each.
Sir Peter is survived by his wife Pippa, Lady Blake, and their two children Sarah-Jane and James. National Geographic has stated that Blake Expeditions plans to continue Blake's environmental work.
On 23 October 2002, the International Olympic Committee posthumously awarded the Olympic Order, one of its highest honours, to Blake.
In December 2003, the Sir Peter Blake Trust was established, with the support of the Blake family, "to help New Zealanders make a positive difference for the planet through activities that encourage environmental awareness and action, and leadership development."
The Trust has a range of initiatives, including the annual Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards.
