About & Contact
New Zealand's sailing media network
Photography, video and stories from the water since 2005. From the America's Cup, the Fastnet, Cowes Week, Sydney Hobart, World Championships, club racing and grassroots, we show sailing the way sailors see it.
69,160 people follow Live Sail Die across our channels
Who we are
Live Sail Die began in 2005 with a camera, a boat and a simple idea: sailing deserves to be seen the way sailors see it. Founded by photographer and writer Suellen Hurling, it moved to Auckland in 2011 and has grown into one of New Zealand's leading independent sailing media platforms.
For more than 20 years we've been on the water at the America's Cup, The Ocean Race, Sydney Hobart, the Fastnet, Cowes Week, the Moth, 8M, 52 Super Series and ILCA world championships just to name a few, and are just as often at club regattas around New Zealand. We love telling the story of sailing in all formats.
We're a small team of sailors who shoot, write and film. If it floats and it races, we want to tell its story.
Our team
The people behind the photos, video and stories. Tap a name to read more and see their stories.
Photographer / VideographerHugo DaviesStories and more - Website Content ManagerKira BalmforthThrown into the sailing world, Kira keep the website going on a daily basis, bring in new articles and content to keep you busy reading and watching sailing for hours.Stories and more
PhotographerMarcus BrummelStories and more - PhotographerMel ParkinStories and more
Why sailors follow us
- We get out there and capture the moments. Photography and video from RIBs, chase boats, on board and in the air.
- Local and international. From the Coastal Classic, SSANZ Round North Island to SailGP and the America's Cup.
- Trusted by the sport. Co-publishing partner of Yachting New Zealand, media liaison for the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and a member of the NZ Marine Industry Association.
- Everywhere sailors are. Here on the website, in our weekly newsletter, and on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
A rare invitation
On board Emirates Team New Zealand's AC75
Only a small number of guests have ever been invited to sail on Emirates Team New Zealand's AC75 in Auckland. Suellen Hurling was one of them, as a special guest of the team.
Live Sail Die is New Zealand's only sailing media team to have had that privilege: flying above the Hauraki Gulf on an America's Cup boat.
Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award
Winner of the 2025 Public Award
Suellen's photo of Mattias Coutts and George Lee-Rush at the PredictWind Moth Worlds won the Public Award at the 2025 Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award, chosen by votes from sailing fans around the world.
Created in 2010, the award is the leading photography competition dedicated to sailing as a competitive sport. In 2025 it drew more than 120 entries from photographers in 26 nations.
Get in touch
Story idea, media enquiry, advertising or a question about a photo? Send us a message and it comes straight to the team.
Events we've photographed
A selection of the regattas, races and championships we've covered. Browse and buy the photos in our PhotoShelter store.
Browse and buy the photos236 regattas, races and championships photographedacross 107 events, and counting
International 26
- America's Cup36th 2021, 37th 2024, 2017
- SailGPSydney - 2023, 2024, Auckland - 2025
- Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race2019, 2022
- Rolex Fastnet Race2023, 2025
- Admiral's Cup2025
- Cowes Week2023
- Round the Island Race (UK)2021, 2020
- La Solitaire du Figaro2023
- Spi Ouest-France2023
- TP52 World Championship, Barcelona2023
- 8 Metre World Championship, Italy2023
- ILCA 6 & ILCA 7 World Championships2023
- PredictWind Moth Worlds2025
- 49er, 49erFX & Nacra 17 World Championships2020
- Women's Match Racing World Championship2022
- DN Ice Sailing World Championship2023
- Tornado World Championship2019
- O'Pen Bic World Championship2019
- JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship2018, 2019, 2020, 2025
- 12ft Skiff Interdominions2016, 2018, 2023, 2025
- Hamilton Island Race Week2016
- MC38 Regatta, Sydney Harbour2014
- Fiji Fizz Festival2016
- Auckland to Fiji Race2014
- Globe40, Auckland start2022
- Défi Azimut2022
New Zealand 81
- PIC Coastal Classic2014, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
- PIC Harbour Classic2023, 2024, 2025
- Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta2024, 2025, 2026
- Sir Peter Blake Regatta2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Bay of Islands Sailing Week2019, 2020, 2021
- SSANZ Round North Island2017, 2020, 2023, 2026
- SSANZ Triple Series2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025, 2026
- SSANZ Enduro2019, 2022
- SSANZ Northern Triangle2022, 2025
- Auckland to Tauranga Race2017, 2023
- Round White Island Race2016, 2019
- Auckland to Gisborne Race2015
- Akarana 3502018, 2020
- RNZYS Three Kings Race2024, 2026
- Squadron Weekend2024, 2025, 2026
- RNZYS Winter Series2018, 2019, 2020
- Gold Cup2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Lipton Cup2019, 2020, 2021 (100th)
- M-Class Arch Logan Memorial2015, 2018, 2019, 2023 (100th)
- Harken Young 88 Nationals2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026
- Young 88 Owners Championship2014, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- New Zealand Match Racing Championships2024, 2025
- NZ Women's Match Racing Championship2019, 2023, 2026
- Youth International Match Racing Cup2024, 2025
- NZ Youth Match Racing Championships2024
- ILCA (Laser) Nationals2015, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
- 18ft Skiff NZ Championship2017, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2018, 2023
- 12ft Skiff NZ Nationals2017, 2023, 2024
- 49er Nationals2015, 2020, 2023
- Moth NZ Championship2017, 2023
- WASZP Nationals2019, 2026
- Etchells Nationals2016, 2017, 2024
- Farr 1020 Nationals2022, 2023
- Flying 15 Nationals2016, 2018, 2022
- Zephyr Nationals2024, 2026
- Starling Nationals2017, 2023
- RS Feva Nationals2017, 2018, 2024
- Optimist Nationals2019, 2021, 2024
- P Class Tanner & Tauranga Cups2015, 2022, 2025, 2026
- Sunburst Nationals2026
- Pied Piper NZ Championship2017, 2022
- Finn Nationals2022
- 29er Nationals2019
- Nacra 17 Nationals2019
- PredictWind Kite Foil Nationals2026
- PredictWind Wingfoil Nationals2025
- National Keelboat Championships2024
- Women's Keelboat Nationals2017
- NZ Secondary Schools Championship2025
- Secondary Schools Keelboat Championship2026
- PredictWind Girls Regatta2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
- Women on Water Weekend2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
- PredictWind NZ Youth Championship2026
- Oceanbridge Sail Auckland2024
- Sail Akarana2016, 2019
- Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge2026
- Auckland Championships2020, 2023, 2021, 2017
- Junior Sail Auckland2016, 2017, 2023
- Auckland Team Sailing Championships2022, 2023
- North Sails Superyacht Rally2025, 2026
- Auckland Wooden Boat Festival2024
- Mahurangi Classic Yacht Regatta2022
- Yates Cup2016, 2017, 2020
- Kaszube Cup2022
- Balokovic Cup2021
- Worser Bay Regatta2021
- Napier Sailing Club Summer Regatta2023
- Waikawa Women's Regatta2024
- Toyota Kiwi Cup2024
- PredictWind Regatta Palooza2026
- Manly Sailing Club - Closing Day2026
- RNZYS Wednesday Series2026
- Yachting New Zealand Corporate Day2026
- Auckland Anniversary Regatta2025
- Emirates Team New Zealand2025
- General Lee2025
- North Sails Superyachts2025
- P Class Tauranga Cup2025
- PredictWind Kite & iQFoil Camp2025
- PredictWind Opti Team Cup2025
- RNZYS Corporate Regatta2025
Editorial standards
Live Sail Die is published by Live Sail Die Limited, an independent New Zealand company based in Auckland, owned and edited by Suellen Hurling.
We report what we see on the water and what we can check. Results, names and quotes are checked before we publish, and our photographers and writers are named on every story. A collaborative article will have the author set to Live Sail Die.
Stories based on media releases from events, clubs or sailing bodies say where they came from. Sponsored content and partnerships are always marked as sponsored, and advertising is kept separate from our stories.
Spotted a mistake? Tell us through the contact page and we'll correct it, noting the change at the end of the story when needed.