Pete Burling's parents cheer on son: 'It's unbelievable what they've done'

Team NZ helmsmen Pete Burling's parents Heather and Richard Burling are at the Viaduct to cheer on their son.

Peter Burling and his Emirates Team New Zealand crew are parading along Auckland's Queen St with the Auld Mug before taking to the harbour.

"It's unbelievable what they've done, what the team's done," Richard told Tony Veitch.

"It's fantastic."

His wife added: "I'm feeling the crowd's support down here.

"You kind of have this feeling that you'll have a parade and nobody will turn up. It feels like exactly the opposite. It feels like all of Auckland is here in style."

She added: "I had every faith that Pete was the man for the job."

When asked if there would be tears during the parade, she said "I don't think so".

"It's such an emotional rollarcoaster after the past month, with the capsize, coming back from that and everything. I think my emotions have done everything they can do."

She said the capsize of the boat was nerve-racking.

"It was making sure that you could see six people, probably only 30 seconds where you thought 'How are they all'. And then you could see three helmets in the water, people who looked happy, three in the boat. And the focus moved onto the boat."

Her husband said: "We had friends in tears at home, people ringing up and their wives were in tears."

Veitch commented on the couple's son's calm manner, to which his father replied: "He doesn't say a lot. You don't really know what's going on inside. And he's always sailed fast, is the big thing with Peter, You put him in a boat and he just sails fast. And then he gets chances."

The couple said they were looking forward to just relaxing and enjoying the day.

"In Bermuda it was just so up and down," Richard said.

"And as parents, you live this stuff. You live the highs, you live the lows."

He wouldn't reveal if Burling had had any job offers?.