Thirty years ago, Sir Peter Blake's crew stormed to victory in the famous Whitbread Round the World Race.
Now a group of Kiwis are aiming to follow in their footsteps and race in the next edition of one of world sport's most gruelling events.
Like the America's Cup five years later, the round the world campaign on Steinlager 2 featured a host of Kiwi sailors who would go on to become household names.
“I can go and finish on a high note thank you and go on to something else,” Sir Peter Blake said after winning the event.
The double-masted maxi ketch won all six legs around the world, a record that still stands.
That includes a drag race finish into Auckland against Grant Dalton's entry, Fisher and Paykel.
“To have those two boats finish so close really lifted the race, I don't think there's a Kiwi that doesn't remember that finish,” Steinlager 2 pitman Tony Rae told 1 NEWS.
KZ 2 is still used to this day, helping kids experience sailing, building confidence through the New Zealand Sailing Trust.
Rae, a veteran of round the world campaigns who was in his mid-20s back in the late 80's, is also carrying on the legacy
He's helping guide an all-Kiwi campaign for the next round the world race, scheduled to start in October next year.
“I heard it hundreds of times the last time the boats and race were here, how come we don't have a Kiwi team anymore? We want to make it happen,” Rae said.
The first all-Kiwi entry for 30 years will be skippered by Aucklander Bianca Cook, using the same boat she sailed on in the last event.
The next assignment is raising around $15 million.
Covid-19 has sent a curveball at the new team, but the Kiwis are surging on, just like 30 years ago.
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