Peter Blake (yachtsman)
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter James Blake, KBE
(1 October 1948 in Auckland
– 6 December 2001 in Brazil
) was a New Zealand
yachtsman
who won the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Jules Verne Trophy
– setting the fastest time around the world
of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds on catamaran
Enza, and led his country to successive victories in the America’s Cup
. In honour of his services to yachting, Blake was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in 1995, and received an honorary doctorate in 2000 from AUT University.
Blake was in Brazil on the Amazon River monitoring environment change when he was murdered by pirates on 6 December 2001.
In the 1977–78 race, he rejoined Les Williams this time with co-skipper Johnston on board Heaths 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 favorites, Lion New Zealand, sponsored by the Lion Brewery
.
In the 1989–90 Whitbread race, Blake skippered Steinlager 2 to an unprecedented clean sweep. His team walked off with line, handicap and overall honours on each of the race's six legs.
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.
Blake was back for the 1995 America's Cup
challenge, 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. Blake's "lucky red socks" (a present from his wife) became something of a trademark. It was commonplace to see New Zealanders sport red socks or fly them from car aerials during the Cup races and a highly successful "fundraising edition" of official red socks emblazoned with the sail numbers of the two NZL yachts was produced to help fund the syndicate. Subsequently, following his murder, red socks became a badge of mourning to his many admirers.
In the 2000 America's Cup
, 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.
Blake was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
in 1996.
, Brazil
, at the mouth of the Amazon delta
, waiting to clear customs after a trip up the Amazon river. At around 9 pm a group of six to eight armed, masked robbers wearing balaclavas and crash helmets boarded the Seamaster. As one of the robbers held a gun to the head of a crewmember, Blake sprang from the cabin wielding a rifle. He shot one of the assailants in the hand before the rifle malfunctioned; he was then fatally shot in the back by assailant Ricardo Colares Tavares. The boarders injured two other crew members with knives, and the remaining seven were unhurt.
The only booty
the attackers 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; Tavares, the man who fired the fatal shots, received a sentence of 36 years 9 months.
Prior to the attack, the yacht's crew had been very careful when travelling up the river and back down again; they always had crew members on watch. Only upon return to Macapa did they relax their guard.
Sir Peter is survived by his wife Pippa, Lady Blake, and their two children Sarah-Jane and James. National Geographic has stated that blakexpeditions plans to continue Blake's environmental work.
Around 30,000 people attended a memorial service held for Blake at the Auckland Domain on 23 December 2001, and included tributes from Blake's family, the New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark
, the Brazilian Ambassador, and Neil and Tim Finn
. Helen Clark spent a night aboard the Seamaster three weeks prior to the attack. She called Blake a "living legend" and a "national hero" in her eulogy she said in part:
Blake is buried at Warblington churchyard, near Emsworth
on the south coast of England. It is a pilgrimage destination for New Zealanders, who sometimes leave New Zealand coins on the headstone. Emsworth is where Pippa and Peter settled and raised their two children. His headstone bears the words of John Masefield's famous poem, "Sea-Fever": "I must down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky, and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by....".
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. These awards consist of the Blake Medal, awarded each year to an outstanding New Zealand leader, and the Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Awards, presented annually to six people recognised as younger leaders of considerable potential. The winners of the Blake medal include Sir Stephen Tindall
, Sir Paul Callaghan
, Sir Murray Halberg
.
Seamaster was originally built in France. After Blake's death she was eventually purchased by Etienne Bourgois and renamed Tara. She continues to undertake successful expeditions.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1 October 1948 in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
– 6 December 2001 in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
yachtsman
Yachting
Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
who won the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Jules Verne Trophy
Jules Verne Trophy
The Jules Verne Trophy is a prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions on the size of the crew provided the vessel has registered with the organization and paid an entry fee. A vessel holding the Jules Verne trophy will not necessarily hold the...
– setting the fastest time around the world
Around the world sailing record
The first around the world sailing record was, logically, set by the first person who circumnavigated the world: Juan Sebastián Elcano and the remaining members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew who completed their journey in 1522. The first solo record was set by Joshua Slocum in the Spray .Most races...
of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds on catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
Enza, and led his country to successive victories in the America’s Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
. In honour of his services to yachting, Blake was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1995, and received an honorary doctorate in 2000 from AUT University.
Blake was in Brazil on the Amazon River monitoring environment change when he was murdered by pirates on 6 December 2001.
Whitbread Round the World Race
Blake's first Whitbread was in 1973 as watch captain on board Burton Cutter skippered by Les Williams.In the 1977–78 race, he rejoined Les Williams this time with co-skipper Johnston on board Heaths Condor
Condor of Bermuda
Condor of Bermuda was a maxi yacht campaigning under the leadership and funding of London based international businessman Bob Bell. Originally called "Condor" but re-named "Heath's Condor" for the 1977-78 Whitbread Round the World Race after Bell's association with Heath's Insurance Co...
.
For the 1981–82 race, Blake mounted his own campaign as skipper of Ceramco New Zealand, a 68 ft sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
designed by an up-and-coming naval architect called Bruce Farr
Bruce Farr
Bruce K. Farr OBE is a designer of racing and cruising yachts.Farr began building boats at 13 in Warkworth near Auckland,New Zealand.His first boats were plywood hard chine Moth class designs.He later designed and built variants of Cherubs and especially Flying 18s.His early designs were built in...
.
Blake returned to the Whitbread Round the World
Volvo Ocean Race
The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
race in 1985 with one of the race favorites, Lion New Zealand, sponsored by the Lion Brewery
Lion Nathan
Lion Nathan National Foods is the parent company created in October 2009, into which Lion Nathan and National Foods were merged. It is fully owned by Kirin Holdings Company, Limited...
.
In the 1989–90 Whitbread race, Blake skippered Steinlager 2 to an unprecedented clean sweep. His team walked off with line, handicap and overall honours on each of the race's six legs.
America's Cup
Brought in at the last minute by Carl McKenzie to manage New Zealand's 1992 America's Cup1992 America's Cup
The 28th America's Cup was contested between the winner of the 1992 Citizen Cup defender selection series, America³, and the winner of the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger selection series, Il Moro di Venezia.-Races:-America³:-Il Moro di Venezia:...
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
Louis Vuitton Cup
The Louis Vuitton Cup is a yachting competition connected with the America's Cup. The Louis Vuitton Cup was used as the selection series to select the team to sail as the challenger in the America's Cup...
, and went on to face America³
America³
America is the name of both a racing yacht and syndicate that vied for the America's Cup in 1992 and 1995.-1992 Cup victory:The program was operated by Bill Koch and Harry "Buddy" Melges in the 1992 America's Cup...
in the America's Cup match.
Blake was back for the 1995 America's Cup
1995 America's Cup
The 29th America's Cup was contested between the winner of the 1995 Citizen Cup, Team Dennis Conner, with the yacht Stars & Stripes , and the winner of the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup, Team New Zealand, with the yacht Black Magic .-Races:-Team New Zealand:-Team Dennis Conner:-References:*...
challenge, this time as the syndicate head of Team New Zealand
Team New Zealand
Team New Zealand is a sailing team based in Auckland, New Zealand representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.Team New Zealand has become a household name in their home country following their consecutive wins in the America's Cup in 1995 and 2000...
. With NZL 32
NZL 32
NZL-32 or Black Magic, is an International Americas Cup Class yacht that won the 1995 America's Cup. She beat the American defender Young America in a 5-0 victory off San Diego, California.-History:...
, "Black Magic", they made a clean sweep, beating Dennis Conner
Dennis Conner
Dennis Conner is an American yachtsman, noted for winning the bronze medal at the 1976 Olympics, two Star World Championships, and four wins in the America's Cup.-America's Cup:...
5-0. Blake's "lucky red socks" (a present from his wife) became something of a trademark. It was commonplace to see New Zealanders sport red socks or fly them from car aerials during the Cup races and a highly successful "fundraising edition" of official red socks emblazoned with the sail numbers of the two NZL yachts was produced to help fund the syndicate. Subsequently, following his murder, red socks became a badge of mourning to his many admirers.
In the 2000 America's Cup
2000 America's Cup
The 30th America's Cup was contested between the holder, Team New Zealand, and the winner of the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup, Prada Challenge.-Races:-Team New Zealand:* Sailed in Race 5-Prada Challenge:-References:*...
, 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.
Blake was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
America's Cup Hall of Fame
The America's Cup Hall of Fame, located at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, honors individuals for outstanding achievement in the America's Cup sailing competition...
in 1996.
Post racing
In 1997, Blake became the Cousteau Society's head of expeditions, and skipper of the Antarctic Explorer, which he later purchased from the Society and renamed Seamaster. After leaving the Society he led expeditions to Antarctica and the Amazon aboard Seamaster during 2001. The same year Blake was named special envoy for the UN Environment Programme. He began filming documentaries for blakexpeditions, a company he founded.Death and legacy
On 6 December 2001, pirates shot and killed Blake while he was on an environmental exploration trip in South America, monitoring global warming and pollution for the United Nations. The two-month expedition was anchored off MacapáMacapá
Macapá is a Brazilian city, capital of Amapá state. Located in the North Region, it is the only state capital that has no highway connections with other capitals...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, at the mouth of the Amazon delta
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
, waiting to clear customs after a trip up the Amazon river. At around 9 pm a group of six to eight armed, masked robbers wearing balaclavas and crash helmets boarded the Seamaster. As one of the robbers held a gun to the head of a crewmember, Blake sprang from the cabin wielding a rifle. He shot one of the assailants in the hand before the rifle malfunctioned; he was then fatally shot in the back by assailant Ricardo Colares Tavares. The boarders injured two other crew members with knives, and the remaining seven were unhurt.
The only booty
Treasure
Treasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...
the attackers 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; Tavares, the man who fired the fatal shots, received a sentence of 36 years 9 months.
Prior to the attack, the yacht's crew had been very careful when travelling up the river and back down again; they always had crew members on watch. Only upon return to Macapa did they relax their guard.
Sir Peter is survived by his wife Pippa, Lady Blake, and their two children Sarah-Jane and James. National Geographic has stated that blakexpeditions plans to continue Blake's environmental work.
Around 30,000 people attended a memorial service held for Blake at the Auckland Domain on 23 December 2001, and included tributes from Blake's family, the New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
, the Brazilian Ambassador, and Neil and Tim Finn
Finn Brothers
The Finn Brothers is a New Zealand Rock musical duo consisting of brothers Neil and Tim Finn. In June 1993 both members were awarded the OBE for their contribution to music....
. Helen Clark spent a night aboard the Seamaster three weeks prior to the attack. She called Blake a "living legend" and a "national hero" in her eulogy she said in part:
Our small nation went into shock. Peter Blake was a living legend. As an outstanding sailor, he had brought great honour and fame to New Zealand. His death was unthinkable.
Blake is buried at Warblington churchyard, near Emsworth
Emsworth
Emsworth is a large village the south coast of England, situated on the Hampshire side of the border between Hampshire and West Sussex. The village lies at the north end of an arm of Chichester Harbour, a large but shallow inlet of the English Channel....
on the south coast of England. It is a pilgrimage destination for New Zealanders, who sometimes leave New Zealand coins on the headstone. Emsworth is where Pippa and Peter settled and raised their two children. His headstone bears the words of John Masefield's famous poem, "Sea-Fever": "I must down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky, and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by....".
On 23 October 2002, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
posthumously awarded the Olympic Order
Olympic Order
The Olympic Order is the highest award of the Olympic Movement, created by the International Olympic Committee in May 1975 as a successor to the Olympic Certificate previously awarded. The Olympic Order originally had three grades , although the bronze grade was retired in 1984...
, 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. These awards consist of the Blake Medal, awarded each year to an outstanding New Zealand leader, and the Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Awards, presented annually to six people recognised as younger leaders of considerable potential. The winners of the Blake medal include Sir Stephen Tindall
Stephen Tindall
Sir Stephen Robert Tindall, KNZM is the founder of New Zealand retailer The Warehouse, and of the Tindall Foundation.He attended Takapuna Grammar School and has a Diploma of Management from the Auckland Institute of Technology....
, Sir Paul Callaghan
Paul Callaghan (physicist)
Sir Paul Terence Callaghan, GNZM, FRS, FRSNZ is a New Zealand physicist who, as the founding director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology at Victoria University of Wellington, holds the position of Alan MacDiarmid Professor of Physical Sciences and is also...
, Sir Murray Halberg
Murray Halberg
Sir Murray Gordon Halberg, ONZ, MBE is a former New Zealand middle distance runner who won the gold medal in the 5000 metres event at the 1960 Olympics. He also won gold medals in the 3 miles events at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games...
.
Seamaster was originally built in France. After Blake's death she was eventually purchased by Etienne Bourgois and renamed Tara. She continues to undertake successful expeditions.
External links
- The Guardian: Tributes for Peter Blake
- Official Sir Peter Blake Trust Website
- NZ Herald: Blake Medal to honour leaders
- NZ Herald: Blake trust names winners
- Official Tara Expeditions Website from the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyDictionary of New Zealand BiographyThe Dictionary of New Zealand Biography contains biographies for over 3,000 New Zealanders. It is available in both English and Maori. All volumes of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography are available online....