Trust me, we will be celebrating
It might not have been an ear-toear grin, but the immense satisfaction was written right across Peter Burling’s face.
The unwaveringly calm 26-yearold from Tauranga had just steered Team New Zealand to glory as an America’s Cup rookie and could hardly have been more content.
He knew the history, he knew what it meant and, in his own modest and considered words, was perched proudly on top of the world.
‘‘I’m just blown away by what we’ve been able to achieve out there today, it’s just sinking in,’’ helmsman Burling said after their 7-1 triumph over Oracle Team USA was confirmed in Bermuda yesterday.
‘‘To be able to come here and be part of an incredibly special team and bring the trophy back home is something I will remember for the rest of my life.’’
That final statement was perhaps the best evidence of the magnitude of what they had just achieved.
Not only is Burling not prone to hyperbole, less than a year ago he stood atop the Olympic podium as a gold medallist in the 49er class with Team New Zealand teammate Blair Tuke.
He does not use words lightly like ‘‘unreal’’, which he did as celebrations broke out onboard in the immediate aftermath of their victory.
Throughout the month-long regatta, as Team New Zealand cruised through the qualifiers, stormed through the challenger playoffs and powered to match point against Oracle, Burling had kept a lid on any excitement.
But he and his team finally had the Auld Mug in their grasp, and there was no doubt they were going to dine out on it.
‘‘We were setting up for a hell of a battle out there and that is why it is still sinking in.
‘‘We’ve actually achieved it, we’ve got that trophy now . . . it is an incredibly special day as a team and we are just looking forward to celebrating it now.
‘‘I can reassure we will be celebrating tonight.’’
What had also been consistent with Burling was his completely unruffled demeanour behind the wheel.
Despite making his debut in the battle for the oldest trophy in international sport, it was not uncommon to hear that Burling appeared so calm that it looked as if he was ‘‘asleep at the wheel’’.
Asked if that was the case, Burling chuckled to himself before deflecting praise to his teammates, on and off the water.
‘‘We enjoy those big races. All through your yachting career, to win events you have to be able to win races under pressure and that is something that really showed.
‘‘We’ve got a great bunch of guys on board, with Glenn [skipper Glenn Ashby] and Blair and so many people that have won Olympic medals and performed to such a high level in their careers all bringing their skills to the table.’’