Eight Bells: Peter Lester

Peter Lester is being remembered as one of New Zealand’s finest sailors and most respected voices in the sport after dying suddenly August 8, aged 70, a day after being discharged from hospital following heart surgery.

Lester’s career spanned world championship victories, multiple America’s Cup campaigns, Olympic coaching roles, and a broadcasting tenure that brought sailing to a wide audience with his trademark clarity, insight, and infectious enthusiasm.

“Pete had a wonderful memory for detail and was never afraid to call it as he saw it,” noted Former Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie. “His passion for performance kept him sailing, and as an Olympic commentator he would still analyze individual performances and was always happy to provide feedback.”

Lester was Yachting New Zealand’s first high-performance director in 1994, following a stellar sailing career, and was instrumental in developing and nurturing New Zealand’s talent and served as head coach for the Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), and Athens (2004) Olympic Games, and as team manager in Athens, helping establish the country as an Olympic sailing powerhouse.

Born in Canterbury and raised on Lyttelton Harbour, Lester began crewing in a Z Class before learning in a P Class his father built. His breakthrough came with victory at the 1974 OK Dinghy Junior World Championship before claiming the senior title in 1977, earning his first NZL Yachtsman of the Year award. In 1987, he skippered Bevan Wooley’s Propaganda to victory at the Admiral’s Cup, and six years later won both the Admiral’s Cup and One Ton Cup with Willi Illbruck’s Pinta.

Lester’s America’s Cup career began as tactician on KZ1 in the 1988 Deed of Gift match, remembered for its “Cat vs Dog” controversy. He later coached Spain’s Desafío team in 1992 and joined Chris Dickson’s Tutukaka challenge in 1995.

Selected for the Finn class at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Lester was denied the chance when New Zealand withdrew in protest at the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He went on to make a major impact off the water, including leading the Aspire Academy in Qatar from 2007 to 2009, coaching its Olympic pathway program to notable success.

More recently, Lester remained committed to the sport through his long-standing role on the judging panel for Yachting New Zealand’s annual excellence awards – he was himself a two-time recipient of the top honor, Yachtsman of the Year – and in efforts to give back to sailing.

“Pete always brought a thoroughly considered and sensible approach to selections,” Abercrombie said. “He cared deeply about the sailing community and was instrumental in raising money for our St Johns Rotary scholarship and spoke regularly at their meets to acknowledge the positive impact it had on young sailors.”

As a broadcaster, Lester’s blend of deep knowledge and easy delivery made him a natural. He brought insight to multiple America’s Cups, Olympic Games, the Volvo Ocean Race, and other major events.

Lester is survived by his wife Susie, three sons, and grandchildren.

Source: Yachting New Zealand