July 10, 2024 • 11 mins
Blair Tuke out of the New Zealand Sail GP team talks about the return of the Auckland regatta in 2025.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It's a warm welcome to news Talk z B. To
co Ceo or Black Foils. We're talking Sale GP. Blair
Chu on the line from Barcelona, of all places. Blair,
how's Europe treating you?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yeah? Good at DARSI all good, Thank you. About to
hop on a plane to San Francisco. So yeah, pretty
exciting week ahead of us, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Well, it's exciting for the fans of sale GP released today.
There the party is coming to Auckland. It's taken quite
some time. You quite satisfied and confident that it will
actually land in thomak and Makoto this time around.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, second time round, but really hopeful and or confident
that it's going to you know, teams right from the
local team to the global team been putting in a
huge amount of work with government and council to make
it happen. So yeah, not too far away now. I
mean it's a little bit interesting time and for us
where we're about to go to the season finale, the
last dance for this season, but obviously great to see
(01:11):
that season comes next year. Come to shape and have
a stuff and Aldea or there so work around.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
What you have to do ahead of this or more's
the point what the people in Auckland have to do
to set this up? Is it quite an onerous task
looking ahead to this? Is there anything that might get
in the way?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Well, I think the thing about Salgyp is that we've
raced what's going to be what fourteen times in a season,
so the model is similar wherever we go. But obviously
you need to localize it. Localize it and Beach Venue
has its own peific things as to how you activate it.
But because the models there, I think it can be
can be done very well. I'm confident'm going to have
(01:49):
a great event. And I guess the thing is that
Kiwi fans are amazing. I mean the racing we've had
in Littleton for two years now, it's been the crowds
have been amazing, So there's no you know, I can
see that happening again in Tamacky Makoto, So just yeah,
pump to be able to race it again at home.
We were a team that been apparent the whole year,
racing away all these different places around the globe. But
(02:11):
they have the opportunity to race in front of our
home fans on the Whiting Tower is going to be
the epic.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So what changed between the cancelation last time around them
moving back down to christ and the go ahead this time?
What was the major shift to get this event up
and running? Blair?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I think, first of all, I'm not you know, obviously
we're the cosos of the team, so where this has
been led by the league with the local league representatives,
so it's not on the in and outs of it.
But I think the league just more satisfied that we're
going to have an event that we want to show
and obviously still pretty early on in the growth phase
(02:48):
of LGP and we want to make sure every time
we're going out there, we're putting on an awesome spectaclener.
I think the conference there is there now to do
that in Auckland, So I just can't wait to have
the opportunity to do that hen Or It's going to
be eleven If if they's ripping around in a in
a Harvard, it's going to be unreal.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
It's going to look crazy seeing these these craft because
it's hard to call them boats in this day and age,
and the wind sweat to Watamata. It promises a massive
amount of excitement and great fan viewing, and I think
that's why we're in a situation where Russell Coots was
so keen to actually place it where he's placed it.
(03:29):
In that wind, you'd quarter it. You get the best wind,
you get the best opportunity to view that. That's the
premium spot, isn't it, Blair?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah, sure has. That's been the model in sol gp
Rup from the outset is that we want to have
fanned as close to action as possible and as many
fans as we can. You know the plans for how
that's going to get activated down there, and you know
the amount of people that are going to be very
close to racings. Yeah, it's looking great. You know there's
people listening now that experience. That thing done in Littleton
(03:57):
was an epic event and you have to be able
to do that now and in Auckland's going to be unreal.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So you're saying before your co CEO of the Black Four,
so you don't have a great deal to do with
the building or the structure behind what actually happens on
when you point, but how deeply involved are you to
what degree are you engaged with the preparation, with your
knowledge I suppose of New Zealand conditions, your knowledge of
sale GP. Do you have any any flesh in the game.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Of course we do because it's our local event and
we want that to be a success. Like I said before,
we race all around the world, but to have the
opportunity to race in front of our home fans is
a really important one for us. And as you know,
we're still a relatively new new team growing. A lot
of how we present or how the events presented and
(04:48):
how how the team activated through that is widely important
to us. So of course we're involved, but we're not
in and outs of running the event. There's you know,
we run out team in the league, and you know
that's the I guess the league and how that runs
from an organizational point of views that separate outside of
the team, much like any other not much like any
(05:10):
other league or any other sporting event would around the world.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
But the big story around last time around was the
contaminants on the site. There was a lot of pushing
and pulling around that the lease has ended, the site's
being remediated as far as the toxicity of it. How
deep are you involved in the knowledge around how that
came about.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, I wouldn't say, I'm said rather the beginning we're
having these convos. That's in January, but I'm pretty much
full head down and trying to lift the trophy this
season at the moment. But obviously we've got to a
level where the league's got to a level with the
local council where they know they can put on a
successful event and the council is happy. You know, they
obviously want to have a successful event for Auckland as well.
(05:56):
So we've got to that stage and that we've got
going to have the opportunity to race it home.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I don't think Blearcho you can overstate the importance of
the White Matar and of all Clynd New Zealand's involvement
in something like the sale GP for you guys to
be performing at home. And of course it's Sir Russell
Coats's baby and he really wants to desplie to the
world in his own shore. So this really it's bit
of work to get this done, huge amount of happiness
(06:21):
and you're positive that it is actually going to go ahead.
You've got no concerns about that.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
No, no, concerns. Yeah, full conference and team and like
say Russell and the league, you want to put on
a good event. I know they'll be if. I'll be
working hard to make sure it's a great showcase and
we'll be pushing from where we are to make sure
we have a you know that to the level we
want and we can put on an amazing show. The
(06:46):
key we for handed you know, so amazing to see
how much they've got behind us the last couple of years.
Go in christ and I know that's going to be
the same and Auckland, so you can't wait for that.
It's going to be.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
On the subject of season four, it comes to an end,
you be fairly comfortable with we you're at, although I'm
saying that and the way this is run, you're probably
not ever going to be comfortable at all, as that's
the nature of it. But your thoughts moving into Grand
Final time on what looks like a pretty cool stretch
of water at San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Final Event this weekend is going to be yeah, awesome.
It's what we've been working towards for over a year now.
And no, the I mean you're never comfortable because in
SOLGIP it comes down to one race. So although we're
leaving the championship heading into the final weekend, we know
it comes down to that one twelve minute race on
(07:37):
Sunday and that will crown the season champion. So yeah,
we're full focused into that. At the moment, it seems
in great place and just really looking forward to going
out there and executing a good weekend. Luck we know
we can.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
It seems odd that you've got such a large global
season and it still just comes down. Look, you've got
to get in the top three, but it just comes
down to the one race, as you said, ten or
twelve minutes. That is it inherently right? Is that fair?
Does that that give the leader an advantages? The structure
to me is quite strange. But you're happy with.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
That player, Well, it doesn't give the leader any advantage
when it comes to that race. Are you into that
race with three boats three boat final and any of
those boats can win. There's no advantage of being first,
second or third there.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
So but you get in, you get into the final three.
That's the main thing. If you're up ahead, so that's
the only advantage, isn't you actually qualify? But beyond that,
there's nothing Is that fair?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Yeah, well that's the way it isn't It's you know,
how sold you structured right from the start, and I
think it's good. It puts a lot of impass on
that one race. That corrects hype something that's been added
this season, which I think is actually recognizing that overall
season points scorer champion, so which we're we haven't. We're
(09:01):
pretty much all but tied that up. Obviously, there's penalty
point have a collision, so that probably one thing that
could buy us if we had a crash in the
first part of the weekend before the final race, but
other than that, we've tired that up, so I guess
that probably recognizes that point that you're talking about a
little bit. But then when it comes to the siding
(09:23):
between those top three, then you're all square and so
it keeps off that start line the best and beat
the other ones around the racetrack is going to be
the champions of the season. So huge amount of pressure,
but yeah, it's a pretty awesome opportunity for us to
go out there and show everyone what we can do.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
And not let the Australians win five on the bounce.
It's the last thing we need and finally and thanks
Blea Chuck for joining us. Thank you very much throughout
the whole season so far. Is there actually a big
lesson that you've picked up out of your success so
far this year that you can one shape or form
apply to this final weekend in San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Well, we've raced very well in the finals, and it's
a different style of racing when it comes to three
boats compared to ten. You have to adapt for that.
So right now in our preparation we've been there's the
first five races which constitute the San Francisco event, and
then twenty minutes later we we go okay, bomb. This
is the season's final three three boats all on, So
(10:25):
switching mentality there and then executing a good race is
basically what it's all about. So you'll see the boats
and the start there be faster than normal, so all
of three boats will hit the start line at sea
with more of a run up, and then the San
Francisco racetrack allows opportunities for passing if you do end
(10:45):
up behind. It's similar to the christ Church a Littleton
Harbor where we had a longer course. That's similar to
that where there are some opportunities we are behind. It's
not just the first boat the first market will win,
but that does give you a good advantage to a
huge amount of our focus will be on the start
and get into that mark won in a good position.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Been a craging season, so highly entertaining. The television pictures
have been amazing from all over the world. Really looking
forward to seeing what you guys can pull out and
hopefully Black Foils can walk away with a title. Lea Chuk,
thanks very much for joining us. You go well.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Thanks looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It's a warm welcome to news Talk z B. To
co Ceo or Black Foils. We're talking Sale GP. Blair
Chu on the line from Barcelona, of all places. Blair,
how's Europe treating you?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yeah? Good at DARSI all good, Thank you. About to
hop on a plane to San Francisco. So yeah, pretty
exciting week ahead of us, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Well, it's exciting for the fans of sale GP released today.
There the party is coming to Auckland. It's taken quite
some time. You quite satisfied and confident that it will
actually land in thomak and Makoto this time around.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, second time round, but really hopeful and or confident
that it's going to you know, teams right from the
local team to the global team been putting in a
huge amount of work with government and council to make
it happen. So yeah, not too far away now. I
mean it's a little bit interesting time and for us
where we're about to go to the season finale, the
last dance for this season, but obviously great to see
(01:11):
that season comes next year. Come to shape and have
a stuff and Aldea or there so work around.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
What you have to do ahead of this or more's
the point what the people in Auckland have to do
to set this up? Is it quite an onerous task
looking ahead to this? Is there anything that might get
in the way?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Well, I think the thing about Salgyp is that we've
raced what's going to be what fourteen times in a season,
so the model is similar wherever we go. But obviously
you need to localize it. Localize it and Beach Venue
has its own peific things as to how you activate it.
But because the models there, I think it can be
can be done very well. I'm confident'm going to have
(01:49):
a great event. And I guess the thing is that
Kiwi fans are amazing. I mean the racing we've had
in Littleton for two years now, it's been the crowds
have been amazing, So there's no you know, I can
see that happening again in Tamacky Makoto, So just yeah,
pump to be able to race it again at home.
We were a team that been apparent the whole year,
racing away all these different places around the globe. But
(02:11):
they have the opportunity to race in front of our
home fans on the Whiting Tower is going to be
the epic.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So what changed between the cancelation last time around them
moving back down to christ and the go ahead this time?
What was the major shift to get this event up
and running? Blair?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I think, first of all, I'm not you know, obviously
we're the cosos of the team, so where this has
been led by the league with the local league representatives,
so it's not on the in and outs of it.
But I think the league just more satisfied that we're
going to have an event that we want to show
and obviously still pretty early on in the growth phase
(02:48):
of LGP and we want to make sure every time
we're going out there, we're putting on an awesome spectaclener.
I think the conference there is there now to do
that in Auckland, So I just can't wait to have
the opportunity to do that hen Or It's going to
be eleven If if they's ripping around in a in
a Harvard, it's going to be unreal.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
It's going to look crazy seeing these these craft because
it's hard to call them boats in this day and age,
and the wind sweat to Watamata. It promises a massive
amount of excitement and great fan viewing, and I think
that's why we're in a situation where Russell Coots was
so keen to actually place it where he's placed it.
(03:29):
In that wind, you'd quarter it. You get the best wind,
you get the best opportunity to view that. That's the
premium spot, isn't it, Blair?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah, sure has. That's been the model in sol gp
Rup from the outset is that we want to have
fanned as close to action as possible and as many
fans as we can. You know the plans for how
that's going to get activated down there, and you know
the amount of people that are going to be very
close to racings. Yeah, it's looking great. You know there's
people listening now that experience. That thing done in Littleton
(03:57):
was an epic event and you have to be able
to do that now and in Auckland's going to be unreal.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
So you're saying before your co CEO of the Black Four,
so you don't have a great deal to do with
the building or the structure behind what actually happens on
when you point, but how deeply involved are you to
what degree are you engaged with the preparation, with your
knowledge I suppose of New Zealand conditions, your knowledge of
sale GP. Do you have any any flesh in the game.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Of course we do because it's our local event and
we want that to be a success. Like I said before,
we race all around the world, but to have the
opportunity to race in front of our home fans is
a really important one for us. And as you know,
we're still a relatively new new team growing. A lot
of how we present or how the events presented and
(04:48):
how how the team activated through that is widely important
to us. So of course we're involved, but we're not
in and outs of running the event. There's you know,
we run out team in the league, and you know
that's the I guess the league and how that runs
from an organizational point of views that separate outside of
the team, much like any other not much like any
(05:10):
other league or any other sporting event would around the world.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
But the big story around last time around was the
contaminants on the site. There was a lot of pushing
and pulling around that the lease has ended, the site's
being remediated as far as the toxicity of it. How
deep are you involved in the knowledge around how that
came about.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, I wouldn't say, I'm said rather the beginning we're
having these convos. That's in January, but I'm pretty much
full head down and trying to lift the trophy this
season at the moment. But obviously we've got to a
level where the league's got to a level with the
local council where they know they can put on a
successful event and the council is happy. You know, they
obviously want to have a successful event for Auckland as well.
(05:56):
So we've got to that stage and that we've got
going to have the opportunity to race it home.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
I don't think Blearcho you can overstate the importance of
the White Matar and of all Clynd New Zealand's involvement
in something like the sale GP for you guys to
be performing at home. And of course it's Sir Russell
Coats's baby and he really wants to desplie to the
world in his own shore. So this really it's bit
of work to get this done, huge amount of happiness
(06:21):
and you're positive that it is actually going to go ahead.
You've got no concerns about that.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
No, no, concerns. Yeah, full conference and team and like
say Russell and the league, you want to put on
a good event. I know they'll be if. I'll be
working hard to make sure it's a great showcase and
we'll be pushing from where we are to make sure
we have a you know that to the level we
want and we can put on an amazing show. The
(06:46):
key we for handed you know, so amazing to see
how much they've got behind us the last couple of years.
Go in christ and I know that's going to be
the same and Auckland, so you can't wait for that.
It's going to be.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
On the subject of season four, it comes to an end,
you be fairly comfortable with we you're at, although I'm
saying that and the way this is run, you're probably
not ever going to be comfortable at all, as that's
the nature of it. But your thoughts moving into Grand
Final time on what looks like a pretty cool stretch
of water at San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Final Event this weekend is going to be yeah, awesome.
It's what we've been working towards for over a year now.
And no, the I mean you're never comfortable because in
SOLGIP it comes down to one race. So although we're
leaving the championship heading into the final weekend, we know
it comes down to that one twelve minute race on
(07:37):
Sunday and that will crown the season champion. So yeah,
we're full focused into that. At the moment, it seems
in great place and just really looking forward to going
out there and executing a good weekend. Luck we know
we can.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
It seems odd that you've got such a large global
season and it still just comes down. Look, you've got
to get in the top three, but it just comes
down to the one race, as you said, ten or
twelve minutes. That is it inherently right? Is that fair?
Does that that give the leader an advantages? The structure
to me is quite strange. But you're happy with.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
That player, Well, it doesn't give the leader any advantage
when it comes to that race. Are you into that
race with three boats three boat final and any of
those boats can win. There's no advantage of being first,
second or third there.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
So but you get in, you get into the final three.
That's the main thing. If you're up ahead, so that's
the only advantage, isn't you actually qualify? But beyond that,
there's nothing Is that fair?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Yeah, well that's the way it isn't It's you know,
how sold you structured right from the start, and I
think it's good. It puts a lot of impass on
that one race. That corrects hype something that's been added
this season, which I think is actually recognizing that overall
season points scorer champion, so which we're we haven't. We're
(09:01):
pretty much all but tied that up. Obviously, there's penalty
point have a collision, so that probably one thing that
could buy us if we had a crash in the
first part of the weekend before the final race, but
other than that, we've tired that up, so I guess
that probably recognizes that point that you're talking about a
little bit. But then when it comes to the siding
(09:23):
between those top three, then you're all square and so
it keeps off that start line the best and beat
the other ones around the racetrack is going to be
the champions of the season. So huge amount of pressure,
but yeah, it's a pretty awesome opportunity for us to
go out there and show everyone what we can do.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
And not let the Australians win five on the bounce.
It's the last thing we need and finally and thanks
Blea Chuck for joining us. Thank you very much throughout
the whole season so far. Is there actually a big
lesson that you've picked up out of your success so
far this year that you can one shape or form
apply to this final weekend in San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Well, we've raced very well in the finals, and it's
a different style of racing when it comes to three
boats compared to ten. You have to adapt for that.
So right now in our preparation we've been there's the
first five races which constitute the San Francisco event, and
then twenty minutes later we we go okay, bomb. This
is the season's final three three boats all on, So
(10:25):
switching mentality there and then executing a good race is
basically what it's all about. So you'll see the boats
and the start there be faster than normal, so all
of three boats will hit the start line at sea
with more of a run up, and then the San
Francisco racetrack allows opportunities for passing if you do end
(10:45):
up behind. It's similar to the christ Church a Littleton
Harbor where we had a longer course. That's similar to
that where there are some opportunities we are behind. It's
not just the first boat the first market will win,
but that does give you a good advantage to a
huge amount of our focus will be on the start
and get into that mark won in a good position.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Been a craging season, so highly entertaining. The television pictures
have been amazing from all over the world. Really looking
forward to seeing what you guys can pull out and
hopefully Black Foils can walk away with a title. Lea Chuk,
thanks very much for joining us. You go well.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Thanks looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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