Peter Blake (sailor)

Sir Peter Blake was a New Zealand yachtsman and expedition leader, born in Auckland in 1948. He began sailing at the age of five and built an international career in the Whitbread Round the World Race, taking part in five editions before winning the 1989-1990 race as skipper of Steinlager 2 with a clean sweep of every leg. In 1994 he and co-skipper Robin Knox-Johnston set the round the world sailing record that won the Jules Verne Trophy aboard ENZA New Zealand. As head of Team New Zealand he led the country to victory in the America's Cup in 1995 and again in 2000, the first non-American team to defend it successfully. Later he led environmental expeditions for the Cousteau Society and the United Nations Environment Programme. He was shot and killed by pirates on the Amazon in December 2001, aged 53.