An impressive line-up of New Zealand sailing legends took to the Waitemata Harbour yesterday to raise money for the Sir Peter Blake Trust and future environmental expeditions.
The inaugural Great Blake race saw 10 top-level yachties, including Chris Dickson, Craig Monk, Ray Davies and Olympic gold medallists Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, team up with novices in Elliot 7m keelboats and duke it out in a series of races.
The fleet also included a special Blakexpeditions team, which was led by former Team New Zealand yachtsman and Sir Peter's crewmate aboard Seamaster Don Robertson. Sir Peter's daughter Sarah-Jane Blake was also on board.
Susannah Pyatt, a member of Yachting New Zealand's women's match-racing programme, skippered the Southern Spars/North Sails team to victory.
Trust chief executive Shelley Campbell said the money raised from the race, which was held in partnership with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, would help fund environmental expeditions to places such as the Auckland Islands.
