One of the key, unseen team members on Te Rehutai that helped Team New Zealand retain the America’s Cup this year was grinder Mike Lee, although how he ended up there is quite the tale.
Lee only trialled for the team this time last year and was eventually the last man on after making the cut last June.
Ever since then, Lee’s America’s Cup journey has been a blur, capped off by yesterday’s celebrations in what was one of the best days of his life.
However, it was another big day last March – his wedding – that actually led to his decision to trial for Team NZ.
“It was actually the celebrant at our wedding that suggested I had a crack,” Lee said.
“He knew people within the team.”
Celebrant Michael Goudie said the idea came from rumours he’d heard from the Team NZ shed.
“I did hear up wind that they were going for a second round of grinders,” Goudie said.
“He was the first guy who popped into my mind.”
Lee’s wedding was just before the first Covid-19 lockdown last year but after getting through that with new wife Phoebe, he made the final cut just three months later.
As a 10-year-old, Lee said he and his family were out on the water most days in the 2000 regatta.
Since then, he became a top surf life saver and ski paddler out of the Mairangi Bay club on Auckland's north shore where, coincidentally, the AC75s just happened to race yesterday.
“It's my area,” Lee said.
“I've spent more time on that patch of water than anywhere.”
Lee is the latest Team NZ athlete to prove a switch to the gruelling lifestyle of an America’s Cup grinder can be done, following the likes of Kiwi Olympic medallists Joe Sullivan and Simon van Velthooven as well as dual Olympian Steve Ferguson.
The future of the four along with the rest of Team NZ is up in the air now as talks begin behind closed doors for the 37th America’s Cup but Lee isn’t worried with more special moments waiting at home.
“I've got as two-year-old son who's wondering where daddy is.”
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