Let the mind games begin
Peter Burling has the cool temperament to deal with the inevitable gamesmanship coming his way from arch-rival Jimmy Spithill.
The two are about to start a long year of duelling with each other when they contest the America’s Cup match, skipper Burling on the wheel for defender Team New Zealand and Spithill cohelming the Luna Rossa challenge with Francesco Bruni.
Once this is completed they will dive straight into the SailGP programme, Burling heading the New Zealand team and Spithill in charge of the American outfit, with six regattas on the 2021 calendar as long as health and travel restrictions permit.
But the America’s Cup is the big one and Burling chuckles when the subject of Spithill and his mind games is raised.
‘‘People can do whatever they want on land, but what really matters is what you do out on the water and how quick you get around the race course,’’ Burling told Stuff.
‘‘That’s where we try and let our work on the water do our talking for us.’’
That philosophy has worked well for him so far with Team New Zealand picking up the first silverware of the summer at the world series regatta in December.
Spithill enjoys baiting the Kiwis. He was masterful at it during San Francisco 2013 when he engineered the incredible American comeback to retain the Cup at Dean Barker’s expense.
When a young Burling replaced Barker, no one doubted his abilities on the boat but some wondered how his low-key personality would go in the off-the-water scuffles with Spithill at Bermuda 2017.
Cup rookie Burling showed he couldn’t be baited at the top table, and indeed let his performances speak for themselves, repeatedly trouncing Spithill in the starting box to set up Team New Zealand’s sweet revenge.
Now they go head-to-head again and
Burling welcomes the challenge of Spithill and his polished Italian outfit.
‘‘I get along really well with Jimmy. He’s a great guy, and he’s spent a lot of time in New Zealand,’’ Burling said.
‘‘For us, we want to test ourselves against the best in the world and I think that’s one of the really cool things with the America’s Cup this time around . . . the level has been so high, that we do get a chance now to measure ourselves against the best in the world.’’
Burling says he’s more than comfortable with the media conferences at the
‘‘I get along really well with Jimmy. He’s a great guy.’’
Peter Burling on Jimmy Spithill
end of a day’s racing when the action is dissected and Spithill, whether he’s had a win or a loss, always tries to keep positivity at his opposition’s expense.
‘‘It’s something I quite enjoy, being able to tell what’s happening out there,’’ Burling explains.
‘‘It’s always very tricky for the media and some other people to tell what has happened. I like to just give a feel for whether it’s an error, or you’ve got bigger issues.’’
Speaking of big, the defence of the America’s Cup rates pretty large for Burling in a career that has included Olympic gold and silver, that Bermuda Cup stunner, double world sailor of the year honours, and a podium effort in his first round the world race.
‘‘It’s up there,’’ he says of Auckland 2021. ‘‘What makes this one more special is it’s on home waters. Bermuda was incredibly special, but we were a bit of an outlier and a long way from home.
‘‘To be able to compete on your home waters for a country you are incredibly proud of, that’s pretty special.
‘‘It’s been incredible for the team to see how many people have been getting out there to support the races. I’m sure it will be a step on from that come the Cup, when it is all on the line.’’