NZ’s top sailors get set for Great Blake Race

Media advisory

November 5, 2014

NZ’s top sailors get set for Great Blake Race

An impressive line-up of top New Zealand sailors, including Olympic gold medalists and Team New Zealand members will take to Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour tomorrowto lead teams competing in the first-ever Great Blake Race.

Named for New Zealand sporting hero, Sir Peter Blake, the inaugural event will see Olympic gold medalists Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie; Team New Zealand tactician Ray Davies and bowman Richard Meacham; Olympic silver medalist and skipper of the 1995 All Women’s Americas Cup Team, Leslie Egnot; Olympic Finn class bronze medalist and 1995/2000 Team New Zealand grinder, Craig Monk; Olympian and former Americas Cup Skipper, Chris Dickson and top Kiwi sailors Susannah Pyatt, Shaun Mason and Carla Holgate skipper Elliot 7m keelboats, alongside teams of three representing organisations including Ernst & Young, Westpac, Spark, Fuji Xerox, Chapman Tripp, Antarctica NZ and the New Zealand Navy.

A total of ten teams will be battling it out on the water including a special Blakexpeditions crew, which has been coordinated by former Team New Zealand yachtsman and Sir Peter’s crewmate aboard Seamaster, Don Robertson, and will have Sir Peter Blake’s daughter Sarah-Jane Blake onboard.

Trust CEO, Shelley Campbell, said funds raised from the Great Blake Race would help fund future leadership development and environmental expeditions to locations such as the Subantarctic Auckland Islands, where planning and surveying work for Blake Station – a world-leading climate and ocean change research base – is currently underway.

“Funds raised from the event will enable young New Zealand leaders to gain invaluable education on critical marine environmental issues and, on their return, be able to share their knowledge, skills and passion and with the rest of New Zealand,” added Ms Campbell.

The first race will begin at 2.15pm, with the last race concluding at 4.30pm. Prizegiving will take place from 6.00pm at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

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