Our
Team

THE LIVE OCEAN RACING TEAM IS A STELLAR LINE UP OF KIWI SAILORS WHO CHAMPION ACTION FOR THE OCEAN

LIV MACKAY

SKIPPER

PROFILE

Growing up in rural New Zealand, Liv’s relationship with the ocean started at the age of nine, learning to sail at Napier Sailing Club.

Moving to Auckland to pursue an Olympic Campaign in the Nacra 17 class, Liv has won the U23 World Champs, Red Bull Foiling Generation and completed a degree in Accounting and International Business.

Liv is currently an integral member of the New Zealand SailGP Team and a proud Ocean Champion representing Live Ocean on the world stage. She will also sail as part of the Emirates Team New Zealand women’s team in Barcelona in 2024.

PROFILE

Growing up in rural New Zealand, Liv’s relationship with the ocean started at the age of nine, learning to sail at Napier Sailing Club.

Moving to Auckland to pursue an Olympic Campaign in the Nacra 17 class, Liv has won the U23 World Champs, Red Bull Foiling Generation and completed a degree in Accounting and International Business.

LEONARD TAKAHASHI

SAILOR

PROFILE

Born in Atami, a seaside town in Japan, Leonard started sailing at the age of 9. He moved to New Zealand in 2006 and now lives in Auckland.

Since 2015, Leonard has been part of the Japanese National Team competing as part of the 2017 Japanese Youth America’s Cup, in the 49er class at the Tokyo Olympics and as Grinder/Flight Controller for the Japanese SailGP team in Season 1 and 2.

In Season 4 of the SailGP league, he holds the role of Flight Controller for the US SailGP team and will represent Emirates Team New Zealand in the Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024.

PROFILE

Born in Atami, a seaside town in Japan, Leonard started sailing at the age of 9. He moved to New Zealand in 2006 and now lives in Auckland.

In Season 4 of the SailGP league, he holds the role of Flight Controller for the US SailGP team and will represent Emirates Team New Zealand in the Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024.

OSCAR GUNN

SAILOR

PROFILE

Oscar showed potential from an early age, starting sailing at 6, and racing competitively by 9.

In 2017, Oscar followed in Blair and Pete’s footsteps, taking on the 49er class with sailing partner Logan Dunning Beck. The pair gained four top ten 49er World Championships results, two World Cup medals, and were New Zealand 49er National champions five times.

With their 2024 Olympics campaign derailed by injury, Oscar has joined the Live Ocean Racing ETF team and will also compete as part Emirates Team New Zealand’s Youth America’s Cup campaign in Barcelona in 2024.

PROFILE

Oscar showed potential from an early age, starting sailing at 6, and racing competitively by 9.

PETER BURLING

FOUNDER

PROFILE

Peter is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished sailors, a champion across all yachting genres and on a mission to champion the restoration and protection of the ocean.

Peter’s list of sailing achievements spans Olympic gold and two silver medals, nine World Championship titles (six in the 49er class) and winning America’s Cup campaigns.

He says there wasn’t a ‘single moment’ when he realised he had to do something for the health of the ocean but it was more of a growing consciousness. This was fuelled by the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. He firmly believes in the ability for New Zealanders to be world leaders in this space.

A member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Peter has also twice been crowned World Sailor of the Year. A cool and unruffled helmsman he demonstrates an innate understanding of wind and sea.

Peter continues to strive for perfection on the racecourse, through Olympic and America’s Cup campaigns and now with SailGP, the global series raced in F50 catamarans.

Along with sailing partner Blair Tuke, he’s begun a new challenge as co-CEO of the New Zealand SailGP team. With this, he has melded his passion for sailing with his determination to help safeguard the oceans and raise awareness of their importance to the health of the planet, through Live Ocean.

PROFILE

Peter is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished sailors, a champion across all yachting genres and on a mission to champion the restoration and protection of the ocean.

Peter’s list of sailing achievements spans Olympic gold and two silver medals, nine World Championship titles (six in the 49er class) and two winning America’s Cup campaigns.

He says there wasn’t a ‘single moment’ when he realised he had to do something for the health of the ocean but it was more of a growing consciousness. This was fuelled while competing with Team Brunel in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. He firmly believes in the ability for New Zealanders to be world leaders in this space.

A member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and a BLAKE leader, Peter has also twice been crowned World Sailor of the Year. A cool and unruffled helmsman he demonstrates an innate understanding of wind and sea.

Peter continues to strive for perfection on the racecourse, through Olympic, America’s Cup campaigns and with SailGP, the global series raced in F50 catamarans. Along with sailing partner Blair Tuke, Peter is co-CEO of the Black Foils New Zealand SailGP team.

Alongside this, he has melded his passion for sailing with his determination to help safeguard the oceans and raise awareness of their importance to the health of the planet, as co-founder of ocean conservation charity Live Ocean Foundation and its sister entity Live Ocean Racing.

BLAIR TUKE

FOUNDER

PROFILE

Blair’s love of the ocean has driven both his remarkable sailing career and his environmental mission to preserve it for future generations.

With six 49er World Championship titles to his name, Olympic gold and two silver medals, Blair has never been afraid to step out of a 49er skiff and into new and challenging sailing environments. He’s sailed around the globe, finishing second in a down-to-the-wire finish in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race on MAPFRE.

And he’s twice won the America’s Cup, as the flight controller on Emirates Team New Zealand’s revolutionary foiling catamaran in Bermuda in 2017 and defending the Cup on home waters in New Zealand in 2021.

In 2021 he has taken a new tack, leading the New Zealand team as joint CEO with long time sailing partner Peter Burling in SailGP, the global league raced in F50 catamarans. They have also won another silver medal for Aotearoa at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

A Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and World Sailor of the Year, Blair is also committed to the ocean conservation charity Live Ocean he’s founded with Peter.

As a keen freediver and surfer, Blair has always put the ocean first. He’s only too well aware how much it has given him and understands the importance of protecting and restoring the ocean for future generations.

PROFILE

Blair’s love of the ocean has driven both his remarkable sailing career and his environmental mission to preserve it for future generations.

With six 49er World Championship titles to his name, Olympic gold and two silver medals, Blair moved on to step out of a 49er skiff and into new and challenging sailing environments. He’s sailed around the globe, finishing second in a down-to-the-wire finish in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race on MAPFRE.

In 2021 he embarked on a new challenge, leading the Black Foils New Zealand team as joint CEO with long time sailing partner Peter Burling in SailGP, the global league raced in F50 catamarans.

A Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a BLAKE leader, and World Sailor of the Year, Blair is also committed to the ocean conservation charity Live Ocean Foundation, and its sister entity Live Ocean Racing, he’s founded with Peter.

As a keen freediver and surfer, Blair has always put the ocean first. He’s only too aware how much it has given him and understands the importance of protecting and restoring the ocean for future generations.