Burling and Tuke inspired for Cup bid
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke are no strangers to awards but they put their MNZM ’’right up there’’ with anything they have achieved in their remarkable sailing career.
‘‘It’s a huge honour. It’s pretty cool thing to be recognised for all that you’ve done. We’re really proud of it, it’s definitely right up there,’’ Burling said as the pair enjoy a short break from their latest project that sees them trying to win back the America’s Cup with Team New Zealand.
‘‘I’m a really proud New Zealander. We do a lot of travelling now and when you come back from overseas, you realise how lucky we are here with the whole outdoors that we have. So to be recognised by your country like special.’’
The New Year honour, as Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit, is based largely on their unprecedented success in the 49er skiff.
They backed up London silver with Olympics gold in Rio. Squeezed in between were four world titles and four European titles among a string of international successes that totalled 28 regatta wins and helped earn them the world sailor of the year award in 2015.
Their dominance saw them lose just one regatta between Olympics and their successes included winning 149 individual races. Their Rio gold, achieved while carrying the flag bearers’ responsibilities, saw this, it’s pretty I’m a really proud New Zealander. them win by a 43 point margin – the largest of any Olympic sailing event since the modern scoring system was introduced in 1968.
They’re a modest pair and sometimes praise and evaluation is best left to their opponents.
‘‘Whether it is amazement, observation, discussion, surveillance or bar talk, how they are doing what they’re doing is the great mystery of the 49er class,’’ is the summation of Ben Remocker, CEO of Canada’s 49er class.
There’s little rest for the talented duo though. Having won the Youth America’s Cup in San Francisco in 2013, Burling and Tuke are now immersed in the real thing which includes Burling helming Team New Zealand’s array of foiling catamarans.
In an increasingly athletic class, they chase the Auld Mug in the peak of their form though acknowledging they are America’s Cup rookies and have plenty to learn in a match-racing class that magnifies performance.
Victories come and go as quickly as the cats fly while costly mistakes linger in a cut-throat environment where only the ruthless prosper.
In an increasingly young man’s game, Burling, 25, and Tuke, 27, have intuitive skills and confidence that belie their years.
‘‘It’s all creeping up pretty quick now,’’ says Burling as Team New Zealand get ready to launch their 50-foot catamaran that will be raced in Bermuda in May and June.
‘‘It’s good to get a little bit of time off and then into another big push. It’s all go and I’m really looking forward to it.’’
The challenge for Burling and Tuke is to immerse their incredible partnership into the wider group situation of Team New Zealand, something they have successfully done through the demanding testing programme.
Free of Olympic duties, they are happy to be able to concentrate fully on Bermuda 2017 after having double responsibilities since early 2014.