Chasing sailing success, they have spent more than half their lives together, growing up together at the Tauranga Sailing Club: Peter Burling, 27, and Blair Tuke, 28, are New Zealand's sailing superstars. Together, helmsman Burling and cox Tuke won Olympic gold in the 49er in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. A year later, they stormed to the America's Cup summit as helmsman and trimmer with Emirates Team New Zealand and knocked Jimmy Spithill off the throne with his Oracle Team USA.
Now the two Kiwis are going for the next big win and the treble that no sailor before them has ever won. This time, however, "Pistol Pete" Burling and his mate Blair Tuke are not in the same boat. Burling is going for the overall Volvo Ocean Race victory as part of Bouwe Bekking's "Golden Boys" with Team Brunel. Blair Tuke is pursuing the same goal with Xabí Fernandez' Spanish team Mapfre. Only one can win. If at all. Because Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team also still has a chance of overall victory. His team includes Burling and Tuke's America's Cup team-mate Daryl Wislang, another Kiwi and Cup sailor who could spoil the party for his compatriots.
In the end, however, Brunel was the team of the hour: Burling's team inflicted a heavy defeat on Tuke's team on the tenth stage. Not only did the "yellows" win the duel in spectacular fashion with a lead of 115 seconds at the finish. A few hours before the decision, Team Brunel had disenchanted Mapfre in strong winds and overtaken them with dominant speed. Peter Burling was at the wheel in what was perhaps one of the decisive moments of this race around the world.
The final 700 nautical mile sprint from Gothenburg to The Hague now lies ahead of the fleet of seven boats. The starting signal will be given on 21 June. Team Brunel and Mapfre start the showdown bow to bow with 65 points. The Dongfeng Race Team has only been able to collect 64 points in ten legs, but can already calculate with 65 points in mind, because at the end of the Volvo Ocean Race a bonus point is awarded for the fastest sailed time around the world and Dongfeng has an unassailable lead in this classification and can only lose the bonus by breaking material.
While Burling and Tuke will be chasing the triple crown, Dongfeng's experienced Dary Wislang has his sights set on his second Volvo Ocean Race victory in a row. The New Zealander won the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race on Ian Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing "Azzam". One thing is certain before the breathless final sprint: at least one Kiwi will be cheering in The Hague!
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
