Blair Tuke and Mikayla Plaw are soon to welcome their first child.<\/p>\n
The couple<\/a> share a love of sailing and ocean conservation. Plaw annually competes in the Bay of Islands Sailing Week<\/a>, where she has often skippered her team to line honours.<\/p>\n Understood to be well into her third trimester, Plaw is said to have skipped competing in last month\u2019s Sailing Week and instead celebrated her impending arrival with friends and family. The baby shower is understood to have been on Plaw\u2019s parents\u2019 elegant Royal Huisman-built 34m aluminium yacht, Sassafras. <\/p>\n Waikato-based Mitch and Kate Plaw<\/a>, who have an estimated worth of more than $120 million, are owners of New Zealand\u2019s largest aluminium joinery business, Architectural Profiles Limited (APL), which Mitch inherited from his late parents.<\/p>\n Mikayla is an executive director at Profile Group<\/a>, the parent company of APL, and the director of the Takapoto Classic, which takes place this month at her parents\u2019 Waikato estate.<\/p>\n The Plaws are well-known philanthropists who have lovingly restored their 243ha estate, 3km of which runs beside Lake Karapiro<\/a>. Part of their restoration work included employing experts to create a world-class equestrian facility.<\/p>\n Lucinda Burling<\/a>, wife of Tuke\u2019s fellow America\u2019s Cup champion, Olympian and Black Foil Peter Burling, was on the Sassafras to celebrate with her good friend Plaw. The Burlings are now based in Italy while Peter prepares for the America\u2019s Cup, but have been travelling the world for the SailGP series. Lucinda no doubt shared tips with Plaw about what it\u2019s like travelling with a baby; she and Peter are parents to Paloma, their nearly 2-year-old daughter. <\/p>\n Celebrity foodie Polly Markus<\/a> was also on Sassafras for Plaw\u2019s baby shower. She and long-term partner Matt Gordon, associate director of sales and leasing at Bayley\u2019s Real Estate, welcomed their first child, daughter Dali Rose, last August.<\/p>\n Also at the shower was London-based Kiwi Victoria Harris<\/a>, founder of finance platform The Curve. She has been home in New Zealand over the summer with her partner, golf commentator George Harper Jnr.<\/p>\n Lucy Kirkwood<\/a>, owner of design and branding studio Friends of Friends, was also there. In 2024, Lucy, Lucinda, Polly, Victoria and Mikayla were all in Barcelona together, cheering on Tuke and Burling from super yachts to see them win their third America\u2019s Cup for Team New Zealand.<\/p>\n Society Insider is told the guest list also included Partridge Jewellers creative director Madeline Saxton-Beer; Te Akau Racing marketing manager Julia-Rose Ellis, and Plaw\u2019s Waikato friend Bex Freestone, who is the operations manager at Metalhartt Roofing.<\/p>\n The afternoon is understood to have had no baby shower fuss, just simple sailing with girlfriends and cocktails, with Plaw giving a speech to thank everyone for their support.<\/p>\n Tuke and Plaw have their hands full with numerous commitments and declined to comment on their impending parenthood to Society Insider. <\/p>\n As well as preparing for the SailGP this weekend, Tuke has been on a media blitz, drumming up excitement for the event.<\/p>\n With good humour, Tuke took a few expert tips last week from Radio Hauraki Breakfast hosts Jeremy Wells and Manaia Stewart, as the trio took a light-hearted lap of the SailGP course aboard the Fin Chaser 535 CC \u2013 a prize boat being given away by the station.<\/p>\n Who are Auckland\u2019s most eligible singles? <\/p>\n Auckland\u2019s most glamorous and well-established couples are no doubt preparing for a romantic weekend to celebrate Valentine\u2019s Day. But who are the well-known faces and party people who are riding solo? Society Insider profiles some of Auckland\u2019s most eligible singles.<\/p>\n Alex King <\/p>\n Newly single Celebrity Treasure Island contestant, singer, radio host and actor Alex King<\/a> plans to spend Valentine\u2019s Day with girlfriends, ahead of her debut on Shortland Street<\/a>. <\/p>\n The Waip\u016b-born daughter of comedian and mental health campaigner Mike King, who will play Dr Izzy Dove on the long-running medical soap, split from her long-term boyfriend three months ago.<\/p>\n King tells Society Insider that chasing the \u201cperfect\u201d guy has probably been detrimental to her love life.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat matters most is a genuinely good person with strong self-awareness and excellent communication skills. Someone grounded, kind, and emotionally intelligent. Tall and handsome is always a bonus, though,\u201d she says, with a laugh.<\/p>\n King says she once struck gold with the dating app Hinge, which ended in a short relationship, but has ruled out dating apps in the future.<\/p>\n Based on the North Shore for the past seven years, King is a regular on Auckland\u2019s social scene. You\u2019ll find her dining at Soul Bar & Bistro and Oyster & Chop at the Viaduct, in Ponsonby at Beau, Jacuzzi and Hotel Ponsonby, or dancing at Shy Guy in Victoria Park.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re hoping to impress her, she says her perfect date is \u201cgreat drinks, delicious food and even better company; a simple night done well.\u201d <\/p>\n Auckland FC\u2019s Lachlan Brook and Jake Girdwood-Reich <\/p>\n Two Auckland FC players are serious about finding a date for Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n Lachlan Brook<\/a> and Jake Girdwood-Reich<\/a> have been Auckland FC\u2019s most eligible bachelors for Valentine\u2019s Day. The club has been running a competition on its website to win a date with the single players.<\/p>\n Auckland FC tells Society Insider the response has been strong for both of its Aussie-imported players, and the competition closes on Monday.<\/p>\n The dinner will be at Soul Bar & Bistro.<\/p>\n On Valentine\u2019s Day, both lads will be training in the morning before heading out to Sydney the next day. <\/p>\n Sydney-born defensive midfielder Girdwood-Reich, 21, says he usually meets dates through social media but is not averse to being set up on blind dates. <\/p>\n Being in a new city, Girdwood-Reich has also been on Tinder, where he gets quite a few swipes.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking for someone who looks after themselves, is ambitious, and has a plan in life,\u201d Girdwood-Reich tells Society Insider.<\/p>\n \u201cThey also need to be pretty patient and understanding. Our schedule means we\u2019re away from home a lot, and when we\u2019re not away, we\u2019re training.\u201d<\/p>\n His perfect dates include walks along Auckland\u2019s waterfront or on the beach, followed by a coffee.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, his South Australian-born teammate Lachlan Brook, 25, says it\u2019s been a long time since he\u2019s been on a proper date, because of years of travelling in the United States and Australia with his football career.<\/p>\n He\u2019s now trying to \u201cput himself out there a bit more\u201d and trying to \u201cmake a conscious effort to meet people organically\u201d.<\/p>\n When he does date, he prefers to keep things simple. \u201cNothing too intimidating or ostentatious, maybe a coffee and walk.\u201d His favourite spot is Bodega on Ponsonby Rd, which he says is great for people watching.<\/p>\n Brook says he is looking for someone \u201cloyal and honest, who can laugh at themselves and isn\u2019t too uptight\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pretty laid back and open and would want someone who matches that vibe,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Summer Busch <\/p>\n Rich-list sources tell Society Insider that Summer Busch is the single girl to know, both here and in Australia.<\/p>\n The former St Cuthbert\u2019s student has carved out a successful career in lifestyle and PR, and over the past year has set up an outpost of Auckland\u2019s Public Library public relations firm in Sydney. She has many friends who are daughters of rich-listers and are based in places across the world.<\/p>\n Bondi-based Busch, 27, now splits her time between Australia and New Zealand. When she\u2019s not immersed in work, you can find her wherever the week\u2019s social moment is; intimate dinners, buzzy openings, or relaxed catchups with friends at the beach or a cute wine bar. She is well known to Society Insider as an essential fun guest for any event, but also values family, genuine connections, humour, and honesty. <\/p>\n Dating intel from those who know her suggests that her ideal first date is low-pressure and high-chemistry: shared plates, a proper drink and easy conversation.<\/p>\n Busch\u2019s hidden talent is knowing exactly the right place to be and when. Perhaps Mr Right will be waiting for her this weekend \u2013 we hear she will be attending the wedding of food influencer Amelia Ferrier of Melie\u2019s Kitchen Instagram fame, and Kiwibank commercial growth manager Jack Laity, the brother of Hannah Barrett. <\/p>\n Carlos Turner <\/p>\n Summer Busch\u2019s best friend is Los Angeles-based Cameo Turner<\/a>, whose older brother, Carlos, is single, Society Insider has been told. <\/p>\n Carlos, 31, is the son of Sleepyhead rich-lister Craig Turner and his wife, former model Cara Pollock Turner.<\/p>\n The family home is the famous pink mansion on Paritai Drive, an exclusive street in Auckland\u2019s \u014cr\u0101kei, whose other residents include former Real Housewives stars Gilda Kirkpatrick and Louise Wallace. The Turner home has its own expansive bachelor pad in the basement, where Carlos has been known to entertain friends. <\/p>\n Carlos attended King\u2019s College and has a Bachelor of Industrial and Product Design from the Auckland University of Technology. He works as a technical development engineer for Asia Pacific at The Comfort Group, Australasia\u2019s biggest mattress and foam manufacturer, owned by his father Craig and uncle Graeme. The company is six years into its $1.2 billion, 178ha Sleepyhead Estate Development at \u014chinewai in North Waikato.<\/p>\n Carlos, who is now among the fourth generation of family working in the business, has been spending a lot of time with his father, Craig, at \u014chinewai, as the mega plant and residential development comes to life. <\/p>\n In his downtime, Carlos is a keen DJ and enjoys entertaining friends at the family compound in the Bay of Islands. <\/p>\n Benjamin Boyne <\/p>\n Benjamin Boyne is the guy to talk to if you want to enjoy Auckland\u2019s hospitality scene. <\/p>\n As head of reservations for Savor Group, whose 20 establishments include hotspots Bivacco, Amano, Azabu and Non Solo Pizza, he\u2019s regularly mixing with Auckland\u2019s Champagne set.<\/p>\n Boyne, 30, grew up on a coastal farm in the Wairarapa, then enjoyed the ski scene in W\u0101naka before moving to Auckland in 2022.<\/p>\n Boyne tells Society Insider his background is a real mix, from being on the tools as a sparky through to high-end fashion, hospitality, and even a stint as a florist.<\/p>\n \u201cMy career path hasn\u2019t been ordinary, but it\u2019s always been people-driven. I naturally gravitate toward fast-paced, social environments centred around great experiences,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Boyne, who hasn\u2019t had a boyfriend in a few years, says that on Valentine\u2019s Day he will run away to Waiheke Island with his best mates, unless this mention in Society Insider helps get him some romantic attention.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m single, and I genuinely enjoy it. I have an incredible family, close friends. I\u2019m simply open to sharing that with the right person,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Boyne says he is very grounded and likes to keep things simple, honest, and real, and is drawn to people who are emotionally intelligent, curious, and comfortable being themselves.<\/p>\n Bri Barrett <\/p>\n Bri Barrett, 27, is a content creator, freelance marketer in the music industry, podcaster, and a shareholder in Edna Swart\u2019s skincare business (ed&i).<\/p>\n She has been single for two years, but says she\u2019s not in a rush to meet someone, after coming out of a seven-year relationship when she was 25.<\/p>\n Barrett says she is big on nature and solo missions. For her birthday last month, she went freedom camping alone in the North Island. Her solo travels don\u2019t always go to plan; while white water rafting, she suffered a concussion and a fractured nose.<\/p>\n On Valentine\u2019s Day, she\u2019s working at the Carl Cox Aotearoa Winery Tour at Waiheke\u2019s Wild Estate.<\/p>\n \u201cWho knows, maybe I\u2019ll meet a single suitor in the crowd between sets?\u201d she says.<\/p>\n If that turns into a date, Barrett would love her suitor to surprise her.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very spontaneous, and I love when someone takes initiative and plans something a bit unexpected,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Meeting someone who at least understands her joy in travelling the world appeals to Barrett, and she says she is an \u201cincredibly loyal, affectionate\u201d partner who is \u201cvery all-in\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m the kind of person who becomes your biggest fan,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this age, I\u2019m passionate about both people in a relationship going after their goals.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to be with someone ambitious and driven, and I\u2019ll be right there supporting them while building my own dreams too.\u201d<\/p>\n Party People of the week <\/p>\n Footy, Fillies and Fans launch<\/p>\nThe Plaw family\u2019s Royal Huisman-built 34m aluminium yacht, Sassafras. Photo \/ boatinternational.com<\/p>\n
Mikayla Plaw, and parents Mitch and Kate Plaw, are hosting the Takapoto Classic at their Waikato estate.<\/p>\n
Lucinda and Peter Burling at the SailGP in New York.<\/p>\n
Baby shower guests for Blair Tuke’s new partner, Mikayla Plaw, included (from left) Lucy Kirkwood, Victoria Harris and celeb chef Polly Markus, pictured here in Barcelona for the 2024 America’s Cup.<\/p>\n
America’s Cup and SailGP sailor Blair Tuke is in a relationship with Mikayla Plaw, daughter of rich-listers Kate and Mitch Plaw.<\/p>\n
Alex King will be starring on Shortland Street soon.<\/p>\n
Alex King is recently single.<\/p>\n
Alex King at the tennis this year.<\/p>\n
Jake Girdwood-Reich is a defensive midfielder for Auckland FC.<\/p>\n
Jake Girdwood-Reich loves the beach, a walk and a coffee.<\/p>\n
Lachlan Brook is a forward for Auckland FC.<\/p>\n
Auckland FC player Lachlan Brook. <\/p>\n
Summer Busch is a transtasman PR powerhouse.
Summer Busch in Sydney.<\/p>\n
Summer Busch brings the effervescence to every party.<\/p>\n
Summer Busch.<\/p>\n
Cameo and Carlos Turner.<\/p>\n
Carlos Turner with his father, Craig.<\/p>\n
Carlos Turner enjoys DJing in his spare time.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Boyne is the hospitality man about town. <\/p>\n
Benjamin Boyne is open to a relationship.<\/p>\n
Bri Barrett has a successful career and is open to finding the right man.<\/p>\n
Bri Barrett wants someone who can keep up with her love of music festivals.<\/p>\n