Young gun hasAm Cup cats in his sights
PETER Burling readily admits to ambitions to helm Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup catamaran but insists he hasn’t got the job yet.
The 24-year-old is staying cool as talk swirls that he is set to replace 20-year cup veteran Dean Barker for the charge to the 2017 cup in Bermuda.
‘‘No-one’s position on the sailing team has been confirmed, we are a long way off that,’’ Burling said as he and Blair Tuke contested the national 49er championships in Auckland this weekend.
Burling and Tuke were signed by Team New Zealand last year on the back of their London Olympics silver medal and world championship success in the 49er skiff as well as Youth America’s Cup glory.
‘‘It’s obviously always the dream when you are younger,’’ Burling said of taking control of an America’s Cup boat.
‘‘When we signed up to the team, it was always a proviso that we would always have that possibility … if we were the right fit for the job and we were the best ones for the job that we would take on that role. But there’s still plenty of water to go under the bridge in that regard.’’
Burling and Tuke face a tricky juggling act this year between their Olympic campaign leading into Rio 2016, immersing themselves in Team New Zealand’s development programme, and the four America’s Cup World Series events starting in Italy in early June. Their 49ers will involve about six major international regattas, highlighted by the Rio test event and the defence of their world title in Buenos Aires late in the year.
‘‘We see the America’s Cup campaign as really being a benefit to our Olympic campaign rather than hurting it,’’ Burling said.
Burling said Barker, who has been director of the team’s sailing programme over the last year, had been hugely helpful in integrating the pair into their new environment.
‘‘It’s been great to be involved. It’s great that we have guys like Dean and a few of the other guys in the team that have so much experience that we can draw from. We’re really privileged to have that.’’ On the water: Peter Burling (left) racing with Blair Tuke on their 49er skiff in Auckland Harbour yesterday.