Peter Blake

Peter Blake after the America's Cup race. (http://www.sirpeterblaketrust.org/sirpeterblake/)

Sir Peter Blake found his passion for sailing in Bayswater on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour. He was born in Auckland on the first of October in 1948. Peter Blake was a New Zealand yachtsman who led his country to two successful America’s Cup victories. He also won the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989, and he won the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994 by setting the fastest time around the world. His time was 74 days, 22 hours, 17 minutes, 22 seconds on his catamaran called Enza. Peter Blake was knighted in 1995 for services to yachting and New Zealand, and received an honorary doctorate in 2000 from AUT University.

Peter Blake at the America's Cup (http://www.massey.ac.nz/ ~wwpubafs/_2001/news_releases/07_12_01.html)

Peter Blake was brought in by Sir Michael Fay to manage the 1992 America’s Cup challenge. He managed to bring the Kiwi team to the challenger finals with the NZL-20, but Italy emerged from the competitive series with the Louis Vitton Cup, and went on to face America in the America’s Cup match. In 1995 Blake came back and defeated Dennis Conner 5-0 with “Black Magic,” also known as NZL-32. In 2000, Team New Zealand, still led by Peter Blake, went on to victory and protected the America's Cup, beating Prada 5-0. After the America’s Cup Peter Blake stood down from the team.

On December 5, 2001, Peter Blake was sadly shot by 7 or 8 pirates called “The Rats” while he was trying to defend his teammates. He was on a two-month voyage in the Amazon in South America. After Peter Blake died, many trusts were started; a website has been also made in his honour and a building is going to be raised in his memory.

I think Peter Blake is a hero because he has achieved several things: he led New Zealand to victory in the America's Cup and he has done many expeditions. I, along with many others, consider Peter Blake as a hero because he has accomplished many great objectives and died trying to protect his own crew. In other words, "he died for others."

“Whatever the area, fulfilling one's potential requires worthwhile goals, ruthlessness in setting standards and the courage to avoid the soft options that constantly present themselves."
-- Peter Blake