Chance meeting with Sir Peter started Macbeth's Cup career

By JULIE ASH

When you ask Jonathan Macbeth how he came to join Team New Zealand, he replies: "It is sort of a funny, long-winded story."

He is not joking.

It goes something like this: Macbeth was working at Ferg's Kayaks in Okahu Bay part-time while he was at university in 1997.

Back then, Macbeth was a lean athlete, having competed in two successive Coast-to-Coast endurance events.

"Sir Peter Blake came in one day to buy a kayak for his son. He mentioned that Team New Zealand were short of grinders and would I like to try out.

"So I called up the next day and went along. I was quite small and had done no sailing, but I didn't see that as a problem. I just had to convince everyone else."

Before he knew it, Macbeth was on NZL32, sailing alongside the likes of skipper Russell Coutts.

"I just kept my head down," he says.

"All the guys were really helpful and no one ever said 'go away,' so I just kept coming back."

After piling on about 20kg, Macbeth was offered a position in the team.

Now, he is enjoying his second defence as an experienced grinder and has bulked up to a useful 105kg.

While Macbeth has obviously learned a tremendous amount about sailing from some of the best in the business, he still grins when he thinks back to how it all began.

"We are so privileged to be able to do what we do. We have such a cool job.

"You feel the atmosphere building every day. The public support is unreal."

Jonathan Macbeth - grinder

Age: 29.br>
Place of birth: Auckland.br>
Nickname: Jono

Cup experience

2000: Team New Zealand

Career highlights

2000: Hamilton Island race week, Shockwave; Antigua race week, Morning Glory; Swedish Team; handover work with NZL38.


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