Television personality Peter Lester passed away peacefully in his slumber
Peter Lester, a legendary figure in New Zealand's sailing community, has passed away at the age of 70. Lester, a world champion, skipper, and sought-after commentator, left an indelible mark on the sport both at home and internationally.
Lester's competitive career spanned multiple world championships, America's Cup campaigns, Olympic coaching roles, and more. He first rose to prominence in 1974 when he won the OK Dinghy Junior World Championship, followed by his victory in the Senior World Championship in 1977, making him the first New Zealander to win in international dinghy classes.
In 1987, Lester skippered the yacht Propaganda to victory in the Admiral’s Cup, and later won both the Admiral’s Cup and the One Ton Cup in 1993 with Pinta. He also won the One Ton Cup three times. Lester's competitive career included America's Cup events as tactician on KZ1 in 1988, involvement with Spain’s Desafío team in 1992, and crew on New Zealand’s Tutukaka challenge in 1995.
Following his competitive career, Lester served as New Zealand’s first High-Performance Director from 1994 and coached Olympic teams in 1996, 2000, and 2004, contributing significantly to New Zealand’s Olympic sailing success.
Lester's influence extended beyond the competitive arena. He became a renowned sailing commentator in 1992, known for his clear, insightful analysis, covering major events such as the America’s Cup, Olympics, Extreme Sailing Series, and Volvo Ocean Race until his death in 2025.
Lester's legacy includes not only his competitive success but also his influential roles in coaching, mentoring, and popularizing sailing through media commentary. He joined the TVNZ team, New Zealand's national television network, in later years.
The New Zealand sailing team has confirmed Lester's passing, and his loss will be deeply felt in the sailing community, both in New Zealand and internationally.
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Peter Lester's influence extended beyond sports, often providing insightful analysis on sailing events that merged into the realm of entertainment, such as the America's Cup, Olympics, Extreme Sailing Series, and Volvo Ocean Race. As a renowned commentator, he was also a celebrity figure in the sailing community.
