America's Cup commentator and yachting identity Peter Lester has died. Photo / Photosport
New Zealand has lost one of its greatest sailing identities.
Two-time sailor of the year, former America’s Cup tactician and accomplished television analyst Peter Lester passed away on Friday night, after suffering a heart attack a week earlier.
His death has left the local sailing community – and indeed the world yachting fraternity – in shock.
After a highly successful career on the water, which included global triumphs in various boat classes and three America’s Cup campaigns, Lester became a popular expert voice on the sport, especially with the Auld Mug.
He was one of the faces of the television coverage from the mid-1990s onwards and soon mastered the craft, with an unrivalled ability to both understand the complexities of what was unfolding and convey it to a broad audience. Lester was in demand for his skills – working across the globe – and was part of the world feed team on the most recent edition of the America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024.
More than anything, Lester had a deep love and fascination for the sport, which saw him involved on so many levels, including a period as an Olympic selector and coach, as well as Yachting New Zealand high performance manager.
Born in Christchurch in 1954, Lester learnt his trade sailing a P Class on Lyttleton harbour, encouraged by his father Gordon. He made his name at the 1977 OK Dinghy Worlds, where he claimed the title off Takapuna Beach, at the time just the second Kiwi to claim a world title in a one-design class, which saw him crowned the New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year.
He had already competed in the Laser Worlds in 1974 as a 20-year-old and finished second in the OK Worlds in Finland in 1975, while he was selected as a reserve for the New Zealand sailing team that went to the 1976 Olympics in Canada.
An expected Olympic campaign in 1980 didn’t materialise – due to New Zealand joining the United States-driven boycott of the event in Russia – but Lester was already making waves in other areas. He was part of a team that finished second in the One Ton Cup in 1977, competed in the Admiral’s Cup (1981 and 1984) and took out the Kenwood Cup in 1986.
The following year, Lester grabbed a slice of history at the Admiral’s Cup, part of the first New Zealand team to take out the prestigious trophy, at the fifth attempt. Lester was helmsman on Propaganda, which was the top individual boat in the team event and he was later named New Zealand yachtsman of the year for the second time.
The affable Lester was tactician on Sir Michael Fay’s big-boat challenge in 1988, and was then engaged as coach for the Spanish team during the 1992 regatta in San Diego. He was also tactician for Chris Dickson’s Tag Heuer team in 1995 – the second New Zealand challenge in that event – which performed well despite a limited budget and other challenges.
Lester was also part of victorious teams at the One Ton Cup on three separate occasions. A major turning point in Lester’s life came at the 1992 America’s Cup. When the Spanish syndicate’s participation in the Louis Vuitton Cup ended, Lester joined the TVNZ commentary team and was an instant hit with viewers, with his sharp analysis, affable nature and clear communication.
That was the start of a broadcasting association with the Cup that stretched over three decades, as he became arguably the most respected analyst in the sport and a mentor to many. He also covered numerous other sailing events, including Olympic campaigns, round-the-world races and the world match racing tour. He was high performance manager at Yachting New Zealand and Olympics coach for the 1996 and 2000 Games, while also later consulting to several other nations.
Above all, Lester was one of the most likeable and popular figures in the sailing community, always with a ready smile and a mentor to so many.
“He loved people,” a close friend recalled. “He was always happy to share his knowledge and help people.”
Lester’s nature was best summed up by a story from Barcelona. At the end of the regatta, he decided not to attend the glamourous official prizegiving, instead opting to walk back to his accommodation for a quiet night after a busy few months. On the way home, he was recognised by a group of Kiwi builders on a corporate trip to Spain for Cup, who insisted he join them for a drink.
“He didn’t know any of them but had a great night with them, completely away from the limelight. That was how Pete was ... a true man of the people, as well as a titan of the sport.”
Despite his many commitments, Lester always placed the highest importance on family life. He is survived by his wife Susie (they were married for more than 40 years), their three sons and four grandchildren. Lester was 70.
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.