Ep 31 - Peter Montgomery

Peter Montgomery has the most recognisable voice in world sailing and is known colloquially as the Voice of the America’s Cup, having commentated the last 13 editions of the Auld Mug. But he’s much more than that having also been involved in the broadcast of all 13 round the world races and the last 10 Olympic Games, not to mention countless All Blacks tests and weekend sports shows.

Peter delves into some of the highlights of his 51-year broadcasting career, how he stumbled into the industry, how he pioneered many of the approaches to modern broadcasting and his relationship with a mythical little old lady with blue rinse hair from Riverton. He also talks about the story behind one of the most recognisable pieces of New Zealand sporting commentary, the time Dennis Conner labelled Team New Zealand cheats, what made Sir Peter Blake tick and how Team Zealand wouldn’t have won the 1995 America’s Cup without him, and his take on his sometimes frosty relationship with Grant Dalton. On a more personal level, he opens up about one episode in his life he’s not altogether proud about, namely his reaction to being told he had cancer.

Peter is full of stories, and has an incredible recall for details and dates. He's one of the special characters whose influence goes well beyond sailing because he's had an enduring impact on sport in general and New Zealand broadcasting.