Burling (34) won the America’s Cup with Emirates Team New Zealand in 2017, 2021, and 2024, prior to which, sailing with Blair Tuke, he dominated the Olympic 49er class – winning six world championships along with one gold and two silver Olympic medals.
Burling also won the 2015 Moth World Championship and raced around the world with Dutch entry Team Brunel in the 2017-18 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. He was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sailing. Alongside Tuke, Burling also leads New Zealand’s Black Foils SailGP Team.
The announcement of Burling’s exit from Emirates Team New Zealand came as a shock to the sailing world. At the time the Kiwi team’s CEO Grant Dalton said the two parties had been unable to agree terms. A particular sticking point appeared to be around Burling’s role with the Black Foils, which Dalton believed would not fit in with the team’s requirements for in the lead-up to the 38th America’s Cup.
Under the rules of the last America’s Cup – AC37, held in Barcelona, Spain last year – a no poaching clause prohibited any sailor who competed in the previous edition from sailing for another team. The yet-to-be-confirmed draft protocol released by Emirates Team New Zealand a few weeks ago allows teams to field up to two non-national crew members – providing they do not break the no poaching criteria.
In the Luna Rossa announcement CEO Maxi Sirena said the team was thrilled to welcome Burling on board.
“Peter has been a long-time rival, and over the years we've come to deeply respect both his exceptional sailing talent and his sportsmanship on the racecourse,” he said. “Even though his exact role has yet to be defined, he will certainly be part of the sailing team, reinforcing Luna Rossa’s core leadership group and contributing to key areas of our development program.
“Peter brings tremendous sporting, technical, and personal value. We are confident his presence will give the team a significant boost, bringing renewed energy, expertise, and determination as we look ahead to the challenge before us.”
Aside from his helming skills, Burling is renowned for his technical expertise and is believed to have played an integral interfacing role between the New Zealand team’s sailing squad and the design and engineering departments.
After his departure from Emirates Team New Zealand, the team announced Burling’s co-helmsman in AC37, Nathan Outteridge, as skipper of the team and brought in British Olympic bronze medallist Chris Draper to the core sailing team. Draper was helmsman for Luna Rossa at the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco in 2013. He was retained by the Italian team for AC35 but when they pulled out Draper moved to Dean Barker’s Softbank Team Japan as tactician and wing trimmer. Currently, he is wing trimmer on Tom Slingsby’s Flying Roos SailGP team. Like Burling, Draper’s role with his new team has not been publicly revealed.
Meanwhile, weeks prior to Burling’s move, another Emirates Team New Zealand core squad member, Josh Junior, is also reported to have joined Luna Rossa for AC38 – although there have been no formal announcements from the Italian team.
Just exactly how Luna Rossa plan to utilise their new star signing remains to be seen. According to the press release Burling joins the team ‘following a transition marked by mutual respect’.
“Peter now becomes an official member of Luna Rossa and is ready to contribute both in sailing performance and technical development as the team gears up for the next America's Cup campaign.”
Even if he is ruled out of a helming role with Luna Rossa, Burling could still make a massive difference to the Italian campaign. Aside from the insider technical knowledge he brings from three consecutive America’s Cup victories, Burling would make a wonderful helming coach for Luna Rossa’s Marco Gradoni and Ruggero Tita – both of whom are instinctive and talented but could surely benefit from a guiding hand from the three-time AC champion – and who better to have as a sparring partner during match race training than Burling.
Characteristically, Burling’s quote from today’s announcement gives nothing away.
“I’m incredibly proud to be joining Luna Rossa for the 38th America’s Cup,” he said. “I’ve always loved racing against Luna Rossa and now to join this iconic team is a real honour. The innovation and competitiveness they bring to the Cup has always inspired me. I’m grateful for the warm welcome and I’m looking forward to working hard alongside a world-class team, doing my part to help win Luna Rossa’s first America’s Cup.”
In a separate personal statement, Burking confirmed his commitment to the Black Foils.
"This next chapter allows me to keep pushing my performance at the top of the sport, while continuing my leadership role with Black Foils, the New Zealand SailGP Team, and supporting the important work of Live Ocean."
Non-partisan sailing fans around the world will be hoping that when the final protocol for the 38th America’s Cup is finally released it will allow for Burling to play an on board role for the Italians in Naples in 2027. After all, the America’s Cup is supposed to be about the world’s fastest boats and best sailors, and it would be a crying shame for a key America’s Cup protagonist such as Burling to be sidelined.
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