Peter John "PJ" Montgomery is a New Zealand sports broadcaster. His work has covered many sports, but he is best known as "The Voice of the America's Cup" on New Zealand and international radio and television. He is often remembered for "The America's Cup is now New Zealand's Cup", his summary when New Zealand won their first America's Cup in San Diego in 1995. The line was voted the most memorable sporting commentary moment in history by the Sunday Star Times.

Early life

Montgomery was born in

Kaitaia Kaitaia () is a town in the Far North District of New Zealand, at the base of the Aupōuri Peninsula, about 160 km northwest of Whangārei. It is the last major settlement on State Highway 1. Ahipara Bay, the southern end of Te Oneroa-a- ...

, Northland but moved with his family to

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...

at a young age, where he attended King's High School. He was an Otago junior representative at both sprinting and rugby union. After moving to Auckland in 1965, he became interested in yachting, and started sailing on various keel boats before gaining regular crew spots.

Broadcasting career

Montgomery has broadcast thirteen

America's Cup The America's Cup is a sailing competition and the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one from the yacht club that currently holds the trophy (known ...

regattas, ten

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

and all thirteen Whitbread Round the World/Volvo Ocean Races. He has been regularly invited to commentate at major regattas across the world, including World Championships and key regattas on the World Match Racing Tour, including The Bermuda Gold Cup, The Swedish Match Cup and The Monsoon Cup Malaysia. World Sailing also chose him to be the first Host / MC for the World Sailor of The Year and Sailing Hall of Fame ceremonies. In addition to commentating and reporting on sailing regattas he has also broadcast many other sports including rowing and rugby. He was the "sideline eye" for the

Radio Network There are two types of radio network currently in use around the world: the one-to-many (simplex communication) broadcast network commonly used for public information and mass media, mass-media entertainment, and the two-way radio (Duplex (teleco ...

"Radio Rugby Team" in Auckland for over twenty years, where his Driz-a-Bone raincoat had become as recognised on the sideline as his microphone. He was chosen to play the

broadcaster in the 1992 movie ''Wind'' to lend authenticity to the racing scenes and is featured in the America's Cup documentary fil
The Wind Gods

Awards and membership

* New Zealand Sports Journalist of the Year * New Zealand Sports Broadcaster of the Year * Communicator of the Year * Yachtsman of the Year – 1990, when the New Zealand Yachting Federation awarded their highest honour – The Bernard Ferguson Trophy * Appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, for services to sports broadcasting, in the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours * The SPARC "Lifetime Contribution to Journalism through Sport" at the 2003 New Zealand Sports Journalists Association awards *

America's Cup Hall of Fame The America's Cup Hall of Fame, located at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, honors individuals for outstanding achievement in the America's Cup sailing competition. Candidates eligible for consideration include skippers ...

Class of 2021 Inductee Montgomery is a Patron or Vice Patron of several yacht clubs, a member of the selection committees for The America's Cup Hall of Fame and The Yachting New Zealand Sailor of the Year Award. He is a Life Member of the

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is a New Zealand yacht club, and the club behind New Zealand's America's Cup campaigns, under the guises of New Zealand Challenge and Team New Zealand. It held the America's Cup from 1995 until 2003, beco ...

Yachting New Zealand Yachting New Zealand is recognised by World Sailing as the governing body for the sport of sailing in New Zealand. Yachting New Zealand also facilitates training in sailing in and around the country. History The emigration of Robert Logan (Senio ...

, The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and The New Zealand Sports Journalists Association.

References

RadioSport profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Peter New Zealand television presenters Sports commentators Sailing people Living people Newstalk ZB New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Year of birth missing (living people) People from Kaitaia Mass media people from Dunedin

Early life

Broadcasting career

Awards and membership

See also

References