The Voice of Yachting - Peter Montgomery biography available online

by Sail-World.com NZL on 23 Sep 2015 For the best part of 40 years, Peter Montgomery has been a constant radio and television presence in New Zealand sport and the international sailing world.

His line “the America’s Cup is now New Zealand’s Cup”, is entrenched in the lexicon of sailing commentary, as well as being one of the catch-cries of New Zealand sporting success.

In the recently released biography, 'Peter Montgomery, The Voice of Yachting', author Bill Francis explores the pivotal events and the commentator’s relationships with the high-flyers of the sailing world – Peter Blake, Chris Dickson, Russell Coutts, Dean Barker, Michael Fay, Grant Dalton and many others.

In his 40 year broadcasting career PJ covered nine Olympic games, 11 America's Cups and 12 Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Races.

As the sideline eye, he was long-time member of the radio rugby team in Auckland and worked the sideline giving his insight from as close as you can get to the playing field. PJ talking to captains and key players as they left the field immediately after big games finished became part of the PJ ritual at Eden Park.

In addition to his sailing and rugby explots PJ has been a commentator at other major sporting events including rowing at world championships and Olympic Games.

For more than a decade PJ hosted the No 1 rating radio show, Sportsworld, every Sunday on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport.

Peter Montgomery is one of the few broadcasters who are better known than most of the sportsmen and women whose deeds he describes.

As the voice of New Zealand yachting for over four decades, Peter Montgomery has covered all the major events including 11 America's Cups, 9 Olympic Games and all 12 Whitbread/Volvo races.

In recognition of his contribution to the sport Montgomery has been honoured with many awards, including:
• Sports Journalist of the Year
• Sports Broadcaster of the Year several times from 1980 to 2014
• Communicator of the Year
• Yachtsman of the Year – 1990, when the New Zealand Yachting Federation awarded its highest honour – The Bernard Fergusson Trophy.
• MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 1995.
• The prestigious Sport New Zealand Lifetime Contribution to Journalism through Sport award in 2003.

His biography also covers the poignant Montgomery family life. This is truly a biography for more than just the sailing aficionado.

Peter Montgomery: The Voice of Yachting
Author: Bill Francis
Softcover, 222 pages
120 illustrations, incl 75 in colour
Price: NZ $39.99
ISBN: 9-780986-4615-9-0

Copies of the book can be ordered from Trio Books Ltd at www.triobooks.co.nz or write to enquiry@triobooks.co.nz