Blake honoured by IOC

Blake won the America's Cup twice

The International Olympic Committee will award one of its highest honours posthumously to New Zealand yachtsman Sir Peter Blake.

The IOC executive board decided to award the Olympic Order to Blake, who was killed by pirates on the Amazon River in Brazil last week.

"Sir Peter Blake was one of the most gifted and successful yachtsmen in the world," said IOC president Jacques Rogge.

"His passion for sport and his determination have made him an exceptional sailor and an out of the ordinary person.

"I was always impressed by his charisma and inspiring energy," said Rogge.

Regarded as one of most successful sailors in yachting history, Sir Peter Blake was twice a winner of the America's Cup with Team Zealand.

In 1995 he helped make Team New Zealand only the second non-American team in the America's Cup's 144-year history to take the coveted silver trophy.

He won the America's Cup for the second time in 2000.