America's Cup winning helmsman Peter Burling will chase sailing's triple crown after joined the Dutch team for the Volvo Ocean Race.
Photo: AFP
Burling will be sailing with Team Brunel in the gruelling 45,000 nautical mile round-the-world race.
The 26-year-old, who won Olympic gold in the 49er class at Rio 2016 and became the youngest winning helmsman in America's Cup history in June, said he was looking forward to the challenge of proving his skills as an offshore sailor.
Swapping from the fast 20-minute inshore races to the storm-filled ocean route will give him a shot at becoming the first individual sailor to win Olympic gold, the America's Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race.
The Tauranga native will be facing off against his long-term sailing partner, Blair Tuke, who has joined Spanish team Mapfre - one of the favourites for the title.
Winning the Volvo would give either of the New Zealanders the "triple crown" of sailing's top events, the race organisers said.
"Every race you do, you want to win," Burling told reporters in Plymouth.
"I've sailed against Blair a lot ... I think both of us will learn a lot of skills before the next time we sail together and we'll take on a challenge again together soon."
The 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race starts from Alicante, Spain, on 22 October and covers 45,000 nautical miles (83,000 km) around the world, featuring a total of 12 host ports, with Brunel and Mapfre among seven teams confirmed so far.
