---
title: "Toroa!  An Antipodean Albatross is competing in the Tokyo Olympics today"
---

# Toroa!  An Antipodean Albatross is competing in the Tokyo Olympics today

![Toroa on launch day 2](https://acap.aq/images/Toroa_on_launch_day-2.jpg)

 **Off to the Olympics:**Toroa**on its launch day, being sailed by Pete Burling and Blair Tuke; photograph from Ruby Dreifuss, Live Ocean**

 *ACAP Latest News* has [previously reported](https://acap.aq/latest-news/3479-racing-to-save-the-antipodean-albatross-with-live-ocean?highlight=WyJibGFpciJd) on medal-winning 2016 Olympic, [America’s Cup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Cup) and Round-the-World sailors, [Peter Burling and Blair Tuke](https://liveocean.com/team/) from New Zealand, who have been sailing in support of the globally [Endangered](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/antipodean-albatross-diomedea-antipodensis/text) Antipodean Albatross *Diomedea antipodensis*, a New Zealand endemic, via the marine conservation charitable trust, [Live Ocean](https://liveocean.com/).  This year they have been training for the [Tokyo 2020 Olympics](https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/), competing in their [49er skiff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/49er_(dinghy)) named *Toroa*, the [Maori name](https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=toroa) for a great albatross in the genus *Diomedea*.

  ![Antipodean Albatross off North Cape NZ Kirk Zufelt](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/A/Antipodean/Antipodean_Albatross_off_North_Cape__NZ_Kirk_Zufelt.jpg)

 *Antipodean Albatross off North Cape, New Zealand; photograph by Kirk Zufelt*

 Read about the New Zealand team and their competitors at the 2020 Olympics [here](https://49er.org/blog/the-chase-for-burling-and-tuke-everybody-knock-down-the-champs/).

 Pete and Blair's first race in the [Men’s Skiff -49er](https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/sailing/entries-by-event-49er-men.htm) event is today in the Enoshima Yacht Harbour.  The [final medal race](https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/sailing/event-schedule-49er-men.htm) is on 2 August.  Here’s hoping *Toroa*will be moving fast in support of its namesake albatross!

 Thanks to Ruby Dreifuss and Sally Paterson, Live Ocean.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 27 July 2021*