#094 New Zealand...Thanks Paula

These 3 stamps were issued in Nov.2009 honoring Sir Peter Blake (1948-2001),who is an extremely passionate New Zealander and achieved success at many different levels – as an inspirational leader, a skilled yachtsman, a record breaker and as an ardent environmentalist.

The stamp issue captures five aspects of Sir Peter's life, with each image telling a unique story of his successes.

The 50 cent stamp is a portrait of Sir Peter and recognises his leadership and his ability to empower those around him.

The $1.00 stamp shows him at the helm of his 1989–1990 Whitbread Steinlager 2 yacht in which he gained an unprecedented perfect performance with line, handicap and overall honours for all six legs of the Whitbread Round the World Race.

In 1994 Sir Peter and his co-skipper, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, were the inaugural winners of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Sailor of the Year Award after breaking the world record for the Jules Verne Challenge. This feat is recognised on the $1.80 stamp.

On the $2.30 stamp he is pictured in 1995 with international sport's oldest trophy, the America's Cup, after he led Team New Zealand in bringing the Cup to New Zealand for the first time.

The $2.80 stamp honours his work as an environmentalist, generating public awareness of environment threats, particularly to water. After creating his own organisation, blakexpeditions, and being appointed a United Nations Environment Programme Special Envoy in 2001, his journey was tragically cut short when he was shot and killed by pirates in the Amazon River.