Blair Tuke, co-chief executive of the Black Foils New Zealand SailGP team, said conditions on the Solent were great. Results in the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix didn’t meet expectations. The team placed fifth in the event. The Black Foils had to rebuild their boat nearly from scratch. This was after a serious crash in Auckland in February. The crash led to missing four races early in the season. This limited their preparation ahead of the competition in the UK.
Live Ocean and the Swim4TheOcean campaign
Despite the on-water challenges, the Black Foils remained focused on environmental and social impact off the water. Before the race in Portsmouth, the team received the Better Planet award in SailGP’s Impact League, which recognizes teams for their contributions beyond racing. Their work was supported by Live Ocean, the marine conservation foundation co-founded by Tuke and Black Foils co-chief Peter Burling. Through this partnership, the Black Foils backed the Swim4TheOcean campaign, a bold initiative aimed at ending harmful fishing practices.
At the heart of the campaign was Jono Ridler, an ultramarathon swimmer, who completed an unprecedented 1,367km staged swim down the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Tuke described the swim as one of the greatest displays of endurance in modern times, lasting 90 days and 468 hours in the water. Ridler’s journey not only showcased personal perseverance but also highlighted the environmental issues impacting the marine ecosystem.
The swim was more than an athletic feat. Ridler collected 73,647 signatures for a petition. The petition demands an end to bottom trawling in New Zealand. Bottom trawling is a widespread but harmful fishing method. In April, 5,000 people gathered in Wellington. They gave Ridler a hero’s welcome. He personally delivered the petition to New Zealand’s parliament. He pushed for immediate action on the issue.
Bottom trawling in New Zealand and global concerns
Bottom trawling is a controversial practice. It involves dragging weighted nets across the ocean floor. This destroys delicate marine habitats. New Zealand is the only country in the South Pacific still conducting bottom trawling on seamounts. Seamounts are large underwater mountains that support rich and unique ecosystems. Scientific research confirms that this activity causes severe damage. These areas are ecologically vital. Tuke has witnessed the ocean’s degradation firsthand. This has happened while competing globally with Burling. He explained that “single trawls can destroy corals and crustaceans. These take hundreds or thousands of years to grow. You can destroy them in minutes.”
Public concern in New Zealand is growing around the issue. A 2025 poll commissioned by WWF-New Zealand revealed findings. 47% of New Zealanders see bottom trawling as the biggest threat. They see it as a threat to the marine environment. 90% support stricter limits. Meanwhile, the UK has taken steps to phase out the practice. They have plans to ban bottom trawling in 41 Marine Protected Areas by June 2025. An outright nationwide ban remains under debate.
Live Ocean’s mission and the Black Foils’ impact
Live Ocean, Tuke and Burling’s conservation foundation, was established in 2019 after the two Olympic champions and America’s Cup winners realized the potential of sport as a tool for change. Since its launch, the organization has championed various marine conservation efforts, including efforts to protect the Antipodean albatross, an endangered seabird species. The duo believes that by leveraging their platform in sailing, they can drive broader environmental awareness and action.
Ridler’s swim wasn’t just a personal challenge — it was also a strategic campaign to raise awareness and connect with communities along the New Zealand coast. Tuke described the swim as an opportunity to “connect with coastal communities and share the mission’s message.” He even participated in some of the support legs of the journey, strengthening his personal commitment to the cause. Ridler’s physical endurance and emotional conviction gave the campaign a powerful narrative, transforming scientific and policy discussions into a national dialogue.
The Black Foils’ work has been recognized for its holistic approach. The SailGP Impact League highlighted the team’s success in combining advocacy, community outreach, and political action to tackle pressing environmental issues. Tuke and Burling distinguish the Black Foils from other SailGP teams by leading both their racing and conservation efforts. “Live Ocean is in our DNA,” Tuke said, emphasizing that the team sees the fight for ocean conservation as inseparable from their identity in the sport.
Despite the momentum generated by the Swim4TheOcean campaign, progress has not been without setbacks. Recently, New Zealand’s government renewed a permit for a vessel to continue bottom trawling seamounts, a decision that Live Ocean criticized. Tuke explained that these permits are issued on an annual basis and that the process to approve them was already in motion when Ridler’s swim gained attention. In response, Live Ocean is calling for new trawling permits on seamounts to be banned immediately. Tuke sees this as a clear and achievable step, with the ultimate goal of achieving full protection for New Zealand seamounts by 2027 and a complete transition away from bottom trawling in the country.