We are introducing you to the 30 legends of sailing. Now it is your turn to choose the greatest sailor of all time.
Born in Auckland in 1948, his name is legend, and his death (he was killed by pirates in the northern Amazon in 2001) reveals a continuing desire to put himself out there. In the 1989/90 edition of the Whitbread he won all the stages; in ’94 he won the Jules Verne Trophy. He also distinguished himself in the America’s Cup, where his name has towered in the Hall of Fame since ’95: in that year he won the Cup with the New Zealanders by thrashing Dennis Conner 5-0.
Blake later moved away from the racing world. He set up his own business, Blakexpeditions, and continued to travel the world aboard his Seamaster, making documentaries. He met his death during a global warming monitoring mission.
Because: Peter Blake won both the America’s Cup and the round-the-world stage race, then became a champion of marine conservation. His death at the hands of pirates makes him even more of a mythical figure.
