D'Arcy Waldegrave: Burling's shift to Luna Rossa is a kidney punch to Team NZ - The All Sport Breakfast

What a blackeye for Grant Dalton.   

Peter Burling's move to Luna Rossa says so much about their relationship, or the strained nature of it at least.  

It was a shock when Peter elected to walk away from negotiations with Team NZ, a bigger shock that he’s now tied his colours to the mast of Luna Rossa’s AC75.  

His exact role is not yet known, to us anyway, and should the protocol stop him from climbing on board, I really don’t think that matters. His ability to point his dinghy in the right direction is plainly off the scale, that in itself would be a kidney punch to TNZ, but it’s what he brings off the briny deep that will have the rest of the fleet a little freaked out.   

The amount of intellectual property Pete has stuffed in his noggin I’d say is unmatched across the America's Cup. His mana alone in the sailing world casts an enormous shadow over any regatta, his presence within the Italian set up will lift their performance just knowing he’s there.  

I’m surprised in that, as a new parent, I figured he would continue to maintain full engagement in Sail GP, a competition he has full skin in, and be dad the rest of the time. He says he’s looking forward to the family lifestyle in Italy, so obviously the demands of Luna Rossa are nowhere near as oppressive as life in a corrugated iron shed with Grant.   

He’s going to be able to breathe, to live, to be his own man.  

Dum vivimus vivamus. 

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