Peter Lester (sailor)
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Born | 14 August 1954 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Died | 8 August 2025 (aged 70) |
| Occupation | Sailing coach
|
Spouse(s) | Susie Lester (m. c. 1980s) |
| Children | 3 |
Peter Lester (14 August 1954 – 8 August 2025) was a New Zealand sailor, coach and broadcaster. A world champion and two-time New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year, he was a veteran of multiple America's Cup campaigns and later became one of the most recognised voices in international sailing commentary.[1][2]
Early career and world championship
Born in Christchurch on 14 August 1954,[3] Lester learned to sail on Lyttelton Harbour.[2] He achieved early international success in the OK dinghy class, winning the Junior World Championship in 1974 and finishing second at the senior world championship in 1975.[1][2] In 1977, he won the OK Dinghy World Championship on home waters off Beach, becoming the first New Zealander to win a one-design world title in the country.[4][5] For this achievement, he was named New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year for the first time.[2]
Offshore and America's Cup campaigns
Lester was a reserve for New Zealand at the 1976 Summer Olympics. He qualified for the Finn class at the 1980 Olympics, but was unable to compete due to the USA-backed boycott of the Olympics in Russia.[2][clarification needed] He then transitioned to offshore keelboat racing. In 1987, as helmsman on Propaganda, he was instrumental in the New Zealand team's victory at the Admiral's Cup, the country's only win in the event's history. Propaganda was also the top-scoring individual boat, and Lester was named New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year for a second time.[2][1]
Lester's America's Cup career began with the 1988 America's Cup, where he was the tactician on board KZ 1 for the New Zealand Challenge.[5] He coached the Spanish Desafio España Copa America challenge at the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup.[2] In 1993, he was the helmsman on's Pinta, which won the.[2][clarification needed] He returned to the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup as a sailor and tactician for the Tag Heuer Challenge.[1]
In 2017, he returned to competitive sailing, competing in the Laser class at the in Auckland.[6][clarification needed]
