Whanganui lays claim to America's Cup hero Peter Burling

Team NZ helmsman Peter Burling steering a path to America's Cup immortality.

Whanganui has far more than just a tenuous link to the America's Cup.

Emirates Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling's mum Heather and grand parents Jim and Margaret Wallace lived, worked and were schooled in the River City for a decade back in the 1970s. They have since retired to Tauranga.

Jim Wallace was a veterinarian with the then Ministry of Agriculture while his wife Margaret taught at Whanganui High School.

"Yes, we lived in Wanganui for about 10 years - settling first in Durie Hill just beyond the boundary to Fordell and Heather went to Durie Hill School," Jim Wallace said.

"We then built a home in Rapanui Rd in Westmere and Heather went to Westmere School, where she became dux. She later went to Whanganui High School, where her mum taught."

While studying medicine at Auckland University, a young Heather met mathematics student Richard Burling.

"Heather is now a doctor and practicing GP in the Mount (Maunganui), while Richard became a house husband when Peter and his older brother Scott were growing up. It was Richard's love of yachting that got the boys involved - Scott first, then Peter.

"Margaret and I are very proud of what they have achieved, especially Peter, and there have been some early mornings for the Wallace family since the America's Cup coverage has started."

The nation has heart-in-mouth the 3-0 lead can be built on when racing resumes against Oracle Team USA and Australia skipper Jimmy Spithill in Bermuda on Sunday morning NZ time.

The race for first to seven points is on and stuck firmly in the minds of all Kiwis is the biggest sporting comeback of all time in San Francisco when Oracle clawed their way back from an 8-1 deficit to retain the America's Cup under the rules of that regatta.

But not so in the Wallace household in Tauranga.

"Many people don't realise that, during the San Francisco regatta, the Youth America's Cup ran almost in conjunction and Peter was skipper of the winning boat," Wallace said.

Burling skippered the New Zealand Sailing Team entry to victory in the inaugural Red Bull Youth America's Cup in San Francisco in September 2013. Burling, with Blair Tuke, is a multiple world and Olympic champion sailor.

Jim and Margaret Wallace are confident their grandson's winning pattern continues.

"And remember what Team New Zealand has done has been done on a shoe-string budget.

"There was little government funding at the start of the campaign anyway and they are up against a bottomless budget in the Oracle camp," Wallace quite rightly pointed out.