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.
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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 Admirals 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 was later named New Zealand yachtsman of the year for the second time.
The affable Lester was tactician on Michael Fay’s big boat challenge in 1988, 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.
Peter Lester. Photo / TVNZ
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,” recalled a close friend. “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.
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