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Alan Sefton had a long friendship and involvement with Sir Peter Blake dating back to the late 1970s. A journalist, Alan worked with Sir Peter on many of his ocean-racing campaigns, including the memorable Whitbread Round the World Race in 1981-82 and the successful 1994 attack on the record for sailing non-stop around the world.In 1992 the pair formed Team New Zealand to challenge for sailing's greatest prize - the America's Cup. Team New Zealand won the Cup in 1995, and then successfully defended it in 2000, with Sir Peter the syndicate head and Alan the executive director. Alan's Cup involvement goes back to 1980, when he covered the American defence in Newport, Rhode Island. He was closely involved in New Zealand challenges thereafter.In more recent years Alan, with his friend and colleague Scott Chapman, was Sir Peter's partner in blakeexpeditions, the organisation they established to journey to the most remote and eco-sensitive parts of the planet to generate greater global awareness of pressing environmental issues.