How
Sir Peter Blake should be remembered ?
(01/13/02) (source
: NZ
Herald)
One of the first items on the Auckland
City Council agenda this year will be to decide how
yachting hero Sir Peter Blake should be remembered
by the city.
Of the three options discussed late last year, a statue
of Sir Peter is beginning to look the most likely
memorial. Auckland Mayor John Banks said he liked
the idea but it would need the support of the council.
"We want to take people with us on something like
this. If we haven't got goodwill at the council it's
not going to fly."
Mr Banks said he would like to see the statue placed
in a prominent position at the Viaduct Harbour before
the America's Cup regatta started in a year. "Part
of the contract to build it would be that it is completed
by the end of the year."
Renaming the Viaduct Basin after Sir Peter would be
difficult because Team NZ had naming rights to the
basin and had allocated them to American Express.
"That might be something we just have to leave for
a while."
Mr Banks said the third memorial option, naming an
education scholarship after Sir Peter, was probably
for the Government to decide.
In Auckland sunday, at least 700
boats churned the water into foam, narrowly missing
one another as they jostled for position.
Then the clock struck 5 pm and Ladybird, Sir Peter
Blake's old family ketch, nudged to the front of the
frenzy and took control. Suddenly the yachts, launches,
dinghies, kayaks, ferries, inflatables and even a
cruise ship fell into line behind the graceful boat.
Six hours earlier at the Domain, about 30,000 people
joined Sir Peter's family in farewelling him. The
mood was subdued, with people quietly reflecting on
Sir Peter's life.
In Sydney, Sir Peter Blake will be given "a sailor's
send-off" before the start of the third leg of the
round-the-world yacht race from Sydney to Auckland
on Boxing Day. Instead of heading to the start-line
one by one, with their team music blaring, the eight
boats in the fleet will leave the dock together in
silence. They will then form a circle with their sterns
just off the dock, drop wreaths into the water and
observe a minute's silence.
On Internet, TV One and NZoom provide replays of the
service and also provide an opportunity for people
to pay tribute to Sir Peter Blake. Copies of the tributes
will be given to the Blake family and Team New Zealand.
TV ONE's coverage
New-Zealand
honour Peter Blake
(12/21/01) (source
: Stuff.co.nz)
Thousands of people are expected to join Sir
Peter Blake's family and honour the national hero
at his memorial service in the Auckland Domain on
Sunday.
The service, standing in front of the Auckland War
Memorial Museum, will be attended by Lady Blake, her
children Sarah-Jane and James, Sir Peter's mother,
Joyce, and other family members, friends and colleagues.
Prime Minister Helen Clark and Governor-General Dame
Silvia Cartwright will speak at the service.
Auckland Mayor John Banks said the service would allow
New Zealanders to show their admiration for Sir Peter
and extend their sympathy to his family. "We know
that many people want this opportunity, and we have
received many calls from people wanting to be able
to honour Sir Peter in this way," he said. "The service
will be held rain or shine, which is exactly the way
this man of the sea would want it."
On Sunday afternoon a memorial procession on the water
will be organised by Yachting New Zealand, will begin
at 5pm under the harbour bridge. It will head east
to North Head and then turn west to pass Princes Wharf
and the Viaduct Harbour. It will finish under the
harbour bridge.
Yachting NZ spokeswoman Emma Reid said the procession
should take about an hour, and hundreds if not thousands
of people were expected to take part.
In Brazil, the man accused of shooting to death yachtsman
Sir Peter Blake has gone on trial. Ricardo Colares
was one of six men charged with murder over Sir Peter's
death a fortnight ago.
The six appeared before a judge in the Amazon port
town of Macapa and the judge will decide the verdict
as the Brazilian judicial system does not have juries.
Colares told the court he did not organise the crime
but he admitted he shot Sir Peter. "Then I started
to shoot at him as well but without seeing him. I
put my arm inside the cabin and began to shoot," he
said. Prosecutor Manoel Pastana said the police interrogation
had already proved Colares executed Sir Peter.
A verdict was not expected for at least two months.
Budget
issues distract Team NZ
(12/16/01) (source
: Stuff.co.nz)
Dean Barker said he has been unable to give sailing
his full attention because Team New Zealand is struggling
to fund its 2003 America's Cup defence.
While the Team New Zealand skipper refused to detail
the exact shortfall in sponsorship, he admitted "we've
still got a lot of money to find". "We're well on
the way, but it is always difficult finding the last
part of the budget," Barker said.
"The guys that have been out there fundraising for
us have done a fantastic job. They have knocked on
a lot of doors. Given that and the events around the
world in the last few months, it has been difficult."
Barker, who admitted his role as Team New Zealand
skipper was more demanding than he expected because
of all the management duties, said it was important
the funding issue was put to bed quickly so that he
could concentrate on improving boat speed.
He is out training on Waitemata Harbour most days,
but has been unable to concentrate on sailing matters
as much as he would like.
Asked if he was confident the funding would be found,
Barker said: "It's not an option . . . it has to happen.
"To leave no stone unturned we have to make sure we
do that. We've really got to have this finished off
sometime in the New Year, but you can never be sure
until the contract is signed."
Peter
Blake was buried in England.
(12/15/01) (source
: Stuff.co.nz)
Almost 1,000 people - many vearing
famous his 'lucky red socks' - descended on the tiny
Saxon church of Thomas a' Beckett in the sleepy Hampshire
hamlet of Warblington, chosen by Sir Peter's widow
Pippa, Lady Blake, as a place special to her family.
Mourners from big business and sport, environmentalists,
politicians, and ordinary people who simply wanted
to say goodbye joined his family at a funeral held
on a chilly English winter day.
Gundry, Tony Rae, Roy Mason, Kevin Shoebridge, Barry
McKay and Mike Quilter shared round-the-world races
with Sir Peter, as well as many laughs and rums. Shoebridge
left his yacht Tyco at Sydney in the middle of the
Volvo Ocean Race to be at the graveside. No question
about it, he had to be there, he said.
Much-lauded English solo yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur
was also there, as was New Zealand yachting commentator
Peter Montgomery and a representative of the Brazilian
government
The coffin was carried into the church by his former
crewman. It was followed by Lady Pippa and their children
Sara-Jane and James. Once the church had become full,
the remainder of the mourners stayed outside listening
to the service over a tannoy.
Sir Peter's children, 18-year-old university student
Sarah-Jane and James, 14, showed all of the famed
Blake courage when they spoke at the funeral. Miss
Blake read the JRR Tolkien poem Bilbo's Last Song,
without a quaver. Mourners snuffled and went for their
hankies as she spoke. "Farewell friends ! the sails
are set," she read, before ending "Farewell to middle
earth at last, I see the star above my mast." James
Blake read excerpts from his father's last log, written
on the Amazon two days before he was shot.
Many more listened outside as Prime Minister Helen
Clark talked of New Zealand's immense sense of loss.
"Over this past week we have been a nation struggling
to come to terms with our grief," she said. "The sense
of loss has been immense. While New Zealand has lost
a national hero the family has lost a husband, father,
son, brother and close relative."
Now, a memorial service for Sir Peter Blake is likely
to be held in Auckland next weekend, involving thousands
of boats. Details are still being finalised for a
memorial service, but it is understood a funeral-like
procession of boats around the Waitemata Harbour would
be part of the ceremony. It was likely to pass through
water off Devonport and Bayswater where Sir Peter
learned to sail.
Meanwhile, a call for suggestions on memorials to
Sir Peter has produced two leading options. Renaming
the Viaduct Basin in honour of Sir Peter and erecting
a statue to him were the clear favourites of people
who sent suggestions to the New Zealand Herald.
However, there was no consensus on what the harbour
should be called. Suggestions included Blake's Harbour
(the most popular choice), Sir Peter Blake's Quay,
Petersport, Blake's Odyssey, Blake's Basin, Blake's
Viaduct, Sir Peter Blake Village, Blake's Landing,
and Blake's Haven.
Other suggestions for a memorial included setting
up a trust to ensure the environmental awareness work
of Blakexpeditions continued; establishing a fund
or scholarship to benefit the environment and young
sailors; naming a significant event, monument or landmark
such as North Head after Sir Peter; establishing a
marine reserve; putting Sir Peter's portrait on a
dollar note; and renaming New Zealand's two main islands
Blake Island and Hillary Island (after mountaineer
Sir Edmund Hillary).
Seven men have been arrested over the killing
of New Zealand yachting legend Sir Peter Blake. The
seven suspects are all Brazilian and were detained
in the town of Macapa, near the mouth of the Amazon
where Blake was murdered by pirates late on Wednesday,
police said.
It is understood one man has confessed to the shooting
of Blake.
Police are still searching for an eighth suspect,
who local media said had piloted the bandits to Blake's
ship.
Brazil's President had earlier given "express orders"
that everything possible would be done to find the
criminals -- including police scouring the waterways
and rain forests of the remote Amazon hunting for
the pirates.
According to an initial police report, Blake's crew
resisted the attack. Blake was shot in the back and
two crewmen were injured. One of the pirates was shot
in the hand. The Seamaster's cook alerted police in
Macapa who arrived at the scene of the crime an hour
later.
Today, Team New Zealand have opened their gates to
allow the public to show their respect for Sir Peter.
There is a steady stream of people pouring into the
base to sign the commemorative book appropriately
positioned beside the Black Magics.
Flowers, messages, and even a pair of TNZ 2000 red
socks have been left on the base forecourt as a tribute
to Sir Peter.
As a mark of respect for Sir Peter, his family and
New Zealand all challengers cancelled their training
for today.
Peter
Blake shot dead by pirates
(12/06/01) (source
: lvcup.com)
New Zealander Peter Blake, 53, was killed when
he and his crew were attacked by masked gunmen on
their "blakexpeditions" vessel Seamaster as it lay
anchored at Macapa (Brazil), awaiting customs clearance
to depart Brazilian waters after a two-month expedition
exploring the Amazon and the Rio Negro.
The New Zealander, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth
II, won the America's Cup twice in 1995 and 2000 with
Team New Zealand. He also won the prestigious Whitbread
Round the World Race in 1989 and captured the Jules
Verne Trophy in 1994 with a record-breaking non-stop
voyage.
In a statement, the trip's organisers said: "The group
of seven or eight armed and hooded intruders boarded
Seamaster at approximately 10.15 pm local time.
"Sir Peter was fatally shot and two other members
of Seamaster's crew were injured, one with a gunshot
wound across the back, the other with a blow to the
face. "Both injured men are back aboard Seamaster
after receiving hospital treatment. The other seven
Seamaster crew were badly shaken but unharmed."
BlakeBlake, who died at Macapa Hospital an hour after
the attack, had been taking part in the expedition
to raise international awareness of the environment.
The gunmen made away with a watch and one of the 36-metre
boat's engines, police said.
Team New Zealand suffered some expensive damage
on Thursday when one of its black boats broke a mast
while training on Hauraki Gulf.
NZL 57 had been preparing for a second training race
when a 25-knot squall swept across the Hauraki Gulf
and skipper Bertrand Pacé heard the sound of
carbon fibre splitting and creaking as the mast collapsed.
The mast involved was the much-vaunted Cup-winning
millennium rig which is supported by rigging running
through the mast rather than being fastened to the
sides ("X rig") and why it failed is a worrying
mystery.
"It seems a little bit concerning that it's the second
millennium rig with cross-rigging arrangement that's
broken in the last couple of months, so it certainly
raised some questions about this rig concept, and
we're going to have to think pretty long and hard
about what was the cause of it," said Team New Zealand
helmsman Dean Barker.
The other similar rig to fail was that on OneWorld,
which collapsed during training last month, and while
the masts can be repaired there is disappointment
at the time and money lost.
Nobody was injured on board and a spare rig is being
installed on Thursday night and, weather permitting,
training will resume on Friday.
Last year, Phonak NZ provided exclusive
waterproof earpieces free for the defenders last Cup
and plans to do the same next time around. The system
can track a moving sound and suppress it, vastly improving
the quality of sound for the hearing-impaired, who
have trouble with background noise.
This week-end, the Team annonced a sponsorship with
Telecom NZ who provided the first mobile phone with
a built-in handheld computer. Team NZ members will
use the Kyocera smart phones on the water for CDMA
voice communications and will be able to download
weather information and tide charts*.
Today, SGI has reaffirmed its commitment to Team NZ
for a third America's Cup campaign, supplying more
than $500,000 of hardware and support for the boat
designers. "SGI started helping us in 1994 when no
one else wanted to know, so it's part of the family,"
said syndicate head Tom Schnackenberg.
The UNIX workstations are used to design items like
rudders, hinges, sails and mechanical devices and
to model how much load can be put on the structures.
SGI has also installed a system in England, where
hull designer Nick Holroyd is working, and a server
to manage Team New Zealand's entire computer network.
Schnackenberg said that although increased power meant
designers could ask more of the Machines, good design
still came down to instinct and experience.
* Because of race rules
mobile communicators are banned during competition
and are put into water tight containers and thrown
overboard before the starter gun goes off. They are
picked up by the support boats.
