Sir Sean Connery pays tribute to Sir Peter Blake

Andy Rice witnessed some of the world's biggest sports stars paying their respects to the great Kiwi legend

The line-up of international sports stars and showbiz celebrities at the Laureus Sports Awards in Monte Carlo was quite breathtaking. Headed by 400 metres hurdles legend Ed Moses, and with stars of the calibre of Michael Jordan, Nadia Comaneci, Michael Johnson and Ian Botham, over 40 big names from the Laureus World Sports Academy gathered to pay tribute to one of their founder members, and sailing’s sole representative in the Academy, Sir Peter Blake.
Sir Sean Connery stepped up from his front row seat at the Grimaldi Forum to address over 800 sports stars, journalists and film stars. "It is my privilege to have been invited to act as the spokesperson for the Laureus World Sports Academy," said Connery. "I am here to explain what is their sad yet beautiful gesture of honouring just one man with two prestigious Laureus awards.

"As we all know, in December 2001 Sir Peter was the victim of a senseless murder that robbed the world of a unique human being. He came to the global stage from that wonderful country of New Zealand and, while Peter was a young impressionable boy, Sir Edmund Hillary became the first man to conquer Mount Everest.

"So Peter set out to conquer the oceans, and was widely recognised as the world's greatest sailor. He was a caring humanitarian, a pioneering conservationist and a man who truly concerned himself with the requirements of those in need. He was the very epitome of everything that the Laureus World Sports Academy stands for.

"His first love was, of course, the sea, and I know that he treasured these words by the British poet John Masefield:
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

"Sweet dreams, Peter."

Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick then escorted Lady Blake and her two children on to the stage to receive two awards on behalf of Sir Peter, the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award and the Laureus Sport for Good Award.

"All I can say is that we were very, very proud of Peter," said Lady Pippa. "He was a wonderful father and a wonderful husband and I am immensely proud of the Laureus Academy for making this Lifetime Achievement Award for him. He believed in all that the Foundation stood for. He really believed sport could make a difference and now we can all make a difference."

The organisers had also put together a moving video tribute to Sir Peter’s legendary sailing career. Ellen MacArthur paid tribute to the Kiwi giant: "Peter’s death was a massive loss to sailing but his life will never go unnoticed." Robin Knox-Johnston said he had had the privilege of seeing Sir Peter’s talent shine through at a very early age: "He had an ability to get his watch to do things because they trusted his judgement. And he was only in his early twenties, but that quality in him was already obvious."

The video tribute was followed by two minutes silence as the audience paused to dwell on a great loss to sailing and to the wider sporting world. The tribute moved some in the audience to tears. Sir Sean Connery’s contribution to the memory of Sir Peter became even more poignant when, as he strode off the stage, you could just catch a glimpse of those trademark red socks that became the emblem of a nation caught in America’s Cup fever.