Peter Burling goes offshore: America’s Cup helmsman will race on foiling Ultim trimaran
America's Cup helmsman Peter Burling joins SVR-Lazartigue for Rolex Fastnet Race, while Franck Cammas switches Ultim teams
When it was announced that three-times Kiwi America’s Cup helmsman Peter Burling had not re-signed with Emirates Team New Zealand, a lot of people wondered what he was going to do instead.
News last month that he was joining Italian Challengers Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli certainly made sense. Between that and his Black Foils New Zealand SailGP team – and a young family – he seemed to have enough on his plate.
But Burling is evidently enjoying the freedom that not being locked into an ETNZ contract or Olympic cycle brings, with the news that he is going to join the Ultim SVR-Lazartigue for this month’s Rolex Fastnet Race.
The Ultim SVR-Lazartigue being relaunched for its 2025 programme
SVR-Lazartigue will race with skipper Tom Laperche (who took over from Francois Gabart last year – Gabart is taking some time out for a cruising circumnavigation with his family) and a crew of six, including new co-skipper Frank Cammas. Cammas has moved from the Gitana stable, where he was long-time skipper and co-skipper of the Ultim Maxi Edmond de Rothschild with Charles Caudrelier.
Recruiting Burling
Tom Laperche explains: “François (Gabart) encouraged me to reach out to the Anglo-Saxon sailing scene, where some of the best in the business are pushing the limits of these flying boats.
“We had a shortlist of sailors we were keen to sail with. The New Zealanders have long been leaders in this area. Peter is an exceptional sailor — Olympic medals, America’s Cups… and from our first conversations, he was totally on board. His flight expertise is top-level, he’s an outstanding inshore racer, and I know he’ll bring a lot to the team.”
SVR-Lazartigue skipper Tom Laperche
“When they contacted me, it was an easy decision to say yes to the Rolex Fastnet Race,” adds Burling.
“I’ve always loved offshore racing — that’s what led me to The Ocean Race. The Ultim class is the pinnacle of high-performance offshore sailing. These boats are incredibly innovative and versatile. I’m really excited to get back offshore and to learn more about how this class is evolving.
“Joining a team with such deep experience on these boats is a fantastic opportunity. I’ve followed François Gabart’s journey and everything the team has achieved, and seeing Tom take over the project is great. He’s an exceptional sailor. For me, this is a chance to push myself, learn, and work with an outstanding crew. I can’t wait to get started.”
Leg 9 of the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race from Newport, US to Cardiff, UK – on board Brunel. Peter Burling thinks Vestas 11th Hour has tacked and fever sets in
Burling is no stranger to offshore racing: he raced with Brunel in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. He was helmsman and watch leader on the Dutch boat, and widely rumoured to be something of a secret weapon when it came to Brunel’s impressive boat speed improvements over the race.
Bouwe Bekking’s Team Brunel finished third overall, in the closest finish in the race’s history. Burling sandwiched the ocean marathon in between winning Gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and Silver at the 2020/21 Games in Tokyo, and winning back the America’s Cup for New Zealand in Bermuda in 2017 and defending it in Auckland in 2021.
Cammas switches teams
For Laperche and the SVR-Lazartigue team, having Franck Cammas join after six years with Gitana is a significant appointment. The Gitana stable is currently building a top-secret – and rumoured to be radical – new Ultim, designed by Guillaume Verdier and due to be launched this autumn.
Cammas will be Laperche’s co-skipper for this autumn’s Transat Cafe L’or (formerly the Transat Jacques Vabre), but also performance director. “When I called Franck, I wasn’t just looking for a co-skipper,” explains Laperche. “I wanted someone who could also contribute to the sporting and technical vision — someone to challenge and build on the work from our design team.”
“My goal is to bring a fresh perspective to a team that already knows the boat inside out,” says Cammas. “We’ll need to keep the dialogue open, challenge ourselves, and remain receptive to new ideas.
“It’s all about working the details, staying rigorous, curious and open-minded. That mindset is something Tom and I share. We’re always looking for new ways to push technology further — but we know that innovation comes with risk.
Franck Cammas has joined the SVR-Lazartigue team for 2025 as co-skipper and performance director
“Humility is essential because the competition is fierce. Everyone is stepping up. Each time we go to sea, we aim to perform better than the time before. With this team — both on land and at sea — and one of the most advanced boats in the fleet, we have everything in place. Now we just need to deliver. Sometimes you have to be patient for results, but that’s the nature of the game.”
The Rolex Fastnet Race starts from Cowes on Saturday, 26 July. The Transat Café L’Or from Le Havre on 26 October.
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