Sports – March 2018

The One To Watch: Blair Tuke

New Zealand sailing’s unsung hero

Team New Zealand trimmer and 49er legend Blair Tuke hasn’t always been in his good mate, Peter Burling’s shadow and he has stepped out of it again by continuing New Zealand’s proud history in the Volvo Ocean Race. Before the America’s Cup became the local yachting scene’s obsession, the Round-the-World Race was the way to showcase this country’s sailing prowess and unearth its heroes. Peter Blake and Grant Dalton’s names were made in the supreme blue water event.

For Tuke, making a name for himself hasn’t been terribly hard, and success has become commonplace. In tandem with Burling, the 28-year-old Northlander has won practically everything in his path. He announced himself to the world by winning the World Championships in the 29er class before his remarkable run with Burling began in 2009 when they took out the National Youth Championships. In their 49er class boat, they romped through almost every regatta, and finally hit the limelight in London at the 2012 Olympic Games. Coming second wasn’t what they were used to, however. It was a small blip, or rogue wave. They bounced back quickly and in the four-year lead-up to the 2016 Rio Games, the World Championship and other prestigious titles began stacking up with astounding regularity. After the London ‘failure’, they won 27 consecutive regattas.

While they were conquering the oceans and ports together, Tuke began his apprenticeship at Youth America’s Cup level. It was obviously just practice, as it was inevitable he would get a gig on the main boats. First, though, he had to atone for London. At Rio, gold was a doddle and a formality, and so it was time for the pair to join the big boys. All manner of global sailing awards had been bestowed upon them, but they had to win the ‘Formula One’ to earn their places in ‘the greats’ category. In Bermuda, Burling would be in the spotlight as helmsman, but Tuke’s hand was just as vital, doubling as a cyclist and foil trimmer. With such a small crew on board the AC50s, multitasking was crucial and Tuke’s sailing ability and IP was priceless.

Ambitious and passionate as they were, Burling and Tuke would seek further challenges after the demolition of Oracle; barely weeks after winning the Cup, they were assigned to other projects: Tuke joining Spanish entry, Mapfre, for the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. As it stands, Tuke is again in a winning position, Mapfre is sharing the series lead with Chinese challenger, Dongfeng. One thing for sure, when Tuke arrives into the Auckland Viaduct in early March, he will get the winning reception.

Remarkable Record:

America’s Cup – Bermuda, 2017

World Championships – Six

Gold Medal – Rio, 2016

Black Caps Under The Lights In First Day/Night Test

Having been a guinea pig in the inaugural Adelaide gig, back in 2015, it’s now time for New Zealand to host its first pink ball test on these shores. Eden Park, with its suitable lights and (hopefully) captive after-work audience, welcomes England in a trial to see if the concept has legs here. Commercially, the time slot is a better option than the traditional daytime matches, and the following year’s schedule will be the true measure of whether it was a success or not.

Warriors Fans Gear Up For Another Rollercoaster Ride

It’s been said the Warriors faithful are suckers for punishment, but you can’t deny their loyalty. Arguably the most combative competition in all of sport continues to test them, but this year the expectations are helpfully lower, so they can only go up. Former and current Kiwi Internationals Peta Hiku, Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Gerard Beale have signed up, but over the ditch, 15 other teams will have a say in how they fare.

All Downhill Not A Bad Thing For Kiwi Paralympics Trio

When the able-bodied athletes are finished up at this year’s Winter Games, they’ll be replaced with another band of skilled athletes, just as competitive. The three Kiwi athletes travelling to the Winter Paralympics in PyeongChang aren’t there to make up the numbers either, having all previously won medals at prestigious World Cup events. Adam Hall and Corey Peters in the alpine disciplines are joined by snowboarder Carl Murphy. Peters is looking to go one better than his silver medal in the Giant Slalom in Sochi, 2014.