It is a time of mourning for the New Zealand sporting community, but also a time of reflection to remember one of the country’s best sailors, and a special broadcasting talent.
Peter Lester, known for his enthusiastic commentary and analysis of the sport, has died aged 70.
Lester passed away on Friday, having suffered a heart attack a week prior.
He first made a name for himself in sailing, winning a number of global events and competing at three America’s Cup regattas, before moving into broadcasting in the 1990s. There, his professional career branched off and enjoyed a fruitful ‘second act’.
Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton spoke with MediaWorks sports journalist and DSPN producer Lachlan Waugh, revealing his shock and sadness at a close friend passing away.
“I think the whole [sailing] fraternity is shocked. Personally, he was a really good friend of mine.
“It’s one of those situations where you'll never forget where you were when you heard the news… it's completely unexpected.
Lester was named New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year twice in 1977 and 1987. Claiming such an honour 10 years apart speaks to his longevity and consistency. One achievement that stands out to Dalton also came in 1977, when Lester won the OK Dinghy World Championship.
“I wasn't anywhere at the level that Pete was, so he became a bit of a hero of mine. There's an iconic photo – which I can still see – that was in the Herald, of him being carried up the beach and sitting in his OK Dinghy by his competitors when he won.
“That was a big deal in this country back then.”
That skillset and those smarts that Dalton talks about were being utilised to the very end. The current Team New Zealand boss would use Lester as a sounding board for the team’s development around boats, strategy, and overall America’s Cup preparation.
“I used to speak to him quite a bit about the technicalities of what we were doing. I would bring him into the tent… I would do it because I was almost looking for his blessing, that he agreed with the strategy that we were taking as an organisation. That’s really a testament to just how skilful he was and how much he understood.
“He was quite a mentor in many ways to so many people.”
Dalton said what set Lester apart from his competitors was his “humble beginnings”, similar to Russell Coutts.
“He didn't come from no silver spoon… he never bought into the type of some within the sport that build into the sort of rich man's sport, or try to be rich themselves within the sport.”
For the younger generation, Lester’s face and voice were more familiar on a television screen than a sail boat. He became a staple of the sport's coverage - particularly the America's Cup - and helped decipher something incredibly complicated into simple terms for the audience.
“Like Peter Montgomery's voice, Peter Lester's voice became very recognised,” Dalton added.
“While we've had the cup, I've been really insistent that he'd be one of the commentators… [he] could understand people who didn't know the sport, but he was technical enough for us to understand exactly what was going on… we could relate to what he was saying.”
Just like Murray Mexted in rugby and Ian Smith in cricket, the 'second act' in Lester's professional career proved just as successful. And again, like Mexted and Smith, Lester’s passion could never be mistaken. He loved sailing as much as those he was showing it to.
That’s a point that Dalton wholeheartedly agreed with.
“He [Mexted] has been out of that commentary position [for some time], but you still hear his voice when you’re watching rugby. Peter’s like that.”
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