Sir Peter Blake 2001 Deaths

Sir Peter Blake

two-time America's Cup winner, who was shot dead by pirates in the Amazon; led Team New Zealand to the Cup in 1995 and 2000; won prestigious Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989 (now sponsored by Volvo) and was the only man to compete in the event's first five races; named New Zealand's sportsman of the year twice and yachtsman of the year four times; knighted in 1995; a national hero in his home country, 30,000 people gathered for his memorial service in Auckland. He died as a result of his gun shot wounds.