Volvo Ocean Race - America's Cup champion signs on with Team Brunel

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com NZ on 10 Aug 2017 New Zealand’s Peter Burling has joined Team Brunel for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

Burling could become the first sailor in history to win the ‘Triple Crown’ of an Olympic Gold medal, the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race.

In a written statement issued by the Dutch team, Peter Burling said: “Team Brunel and Bouwe both have a long history with the Volvo Ocean Race. It’s an honour to be part of this talented team and learn from the breadth of experience on board.”

The race is not Burling's first competitive offshore foray. He has sailed in the Rolex Sydney Hobart and an Auckland Fiji Race. After two Olympic campaigns (London 2012 silver and Rio 2016 gold) in the 49er Olympic skiff class and his in June was the helmsman aboard Emirates Team New Zealand winner of the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda.

Burling's media statement continued: “Round the world ocean racing has always excited me, and I’m stoked to be part of Team Brunel on this epic edition. I can’t wait to be thrown into the challenge of extreme offshore racing and broaden my skills and sailing experience.”

Peter Burling has won World championship in three dinghy classes, the 420, 49er and International Moth, he placed third in the 2014 A-class catamaran Worlds and was Rolex Sailor of the Year in 2014. He finished second on the Int Moth Worlds
at Lake Garda against a fleet of 260 competitors last month, sailing a loaner boat, three weeks after winning the America's Cup and participating in celebration functions in Dubai and New Zealand including a four city tour and street parades.

He will be competing against his longtime sailing partner in the Volvo Ocean Race. Fellow double Olympic medalist and America's Cup champion, Blair Tuke joined the crew of the Spanish flagged entry, MAPFRE in the Volvo Round the World Race and the two will be racing against each other in the 45,000nm round the world race, and will also be vying for bragging rights to be the first New Zealander to cross the finish line in Auckland.

Burling's media released continued: “It’s going to be awesome racing against Tukey! We have huge respect for each others skill and talent, and we are each other’s biggest supporters. We are both in a position to gain amazing experience to bring to our future sailing goals. I look forward to sharing a few stories and beers with him in port.”

“It’s going to be pretty special to be on board to see Auckland, the City of Sails, welcome an epic race like the Volvo Ocean Race. Having just toured NZ with the America’s Cup I got to witness how much Kiwis do love sailing and know they will get behind the Volvo Ocean Race coming to town.”



Bouwe Bekking skipper of Team Brunel says he is looking forward to work with the talented New Zealand sailor, who is currently the hottest property in world sailing

Bekking said in the team media release: “I see Peter as an exponent of the new talented generation. The great thing is that he has proven himself in spite of his young age. I’m glad that we can add him to the team, especially with his experience in Olympic sailing and the America’s Cup. With these three: Peter, Carlo and Kyle we have a strong representation of under 30 sailors in our team.”

Peter Burling is the seventh selected sailor and will be sailing with Oracle Team USA's wingsail trimmer Kyle Langford (AUS) and one of the Emirates Team New Zealand crew Carlo Huisman (NED) who was a cyclor in Bermuda. The other sailors of Team Brunel are:

– Bouwe Bekking (NED)
– Carlo Huisman (NED)
– Kyle Langford (AUS)
– Juanpa Marcos (ARG)
– Alberto Bolzan (ITA)
– Maciel Cicchetti (ARG)

Skipper Bouwe Bekking will be sailing in his eighth Whitbread Round the World Race/Volvo Ocean Race placing second in the last two Volvo Ocean Races. He will be looking for his first round the world race win in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race which gets underway from Alicante, Spain in October

In a media statement issued by the team, he said: “Team Brunel is on track for the start in Alicante. We will use the rest of this Leg 0 to sail in different compositions and prepare ourselves. At the same time, we are still working hard to prepare and organize everything as well as possible. The shore team is also taking shape, and we are having conversations with new potential partners. In addition, we hope to find a number of new parties that want to collaborate.”

Team Brunel is a returning sponsor to the Volvo Ocean Race, backing Bekking in the previous event. Volvo Ocean Race has announced seven entries for the 2017/18 edition.