Russell Coutts

Sir Russell Coutts

Coutts in 2010
Personal information
Nationality	New Zealand
Born	(1962-03-01) 1 March 1962 (age 59) Wellington, New Zealand
Sailing career
Class(es)	Finn, AC45
hide Medal record Sailing Representing  New Zealand Olympic Games 1984 Los Angeles Finn Class

Sir Russell Coutts KNZM CBE (born 1 March 1962) is a world champion New Zealand yachtsman.

Coutts' achievements include a gold medal in the Finn Class in the 1984 Olympic Games, winning the America's Cup five times, the ISAF World Youth championships, three World Match Racing Championships, numerous international match race wins and IOR, IMS and One Design World Championship victories. As skipper/helmsman in America's cup racing, he has a perfect record with 15 wins and no losses (1995, 2000, 2003). He was CEO of the Oracle Team when it won the America's Cup twice with 14 wins and 16 losses (2010, 2013 and 2017 each time with James Spithill as skipper/helmsman).

In New Zealand, Coutts has been honoured with appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1985 New Year Honours^[1] and then elevation to the rank of Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours.^[2]

He was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours,^[3] and redesignated as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in August 2009.^[4] He has been named ISAF Sailor of the Year twice.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005 Slovenian designer Andrej Justin designed with input from him a new boat called the RC44; a high performance one design racer created for top level racing in international regattas under strictly controlled Class Rules. The concept and the design features of the RC44 are dedicated to the amateur helmsmen racing in fleet racing sailing events.^{[citation needed]}

In July 2007, Coutts was named CEO and Skipper of BMW Oracle Racing, sponsored by Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC), the United States Challenger to the 2010 America's Cup. He was involved in the pre-match litigation between the challengers Golden Gate Yacht Club and Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), in which the court decided that the GGYC was the rightful Challenger of Record. Cup Defender SNG's team was Alinghi. Coutts' yacht USA beat the defending yacht Alinghi 5 by considerable margins in both races.^[5][6]

Most observers stated that USA 17's rigid wing sail had given it a decisive advantage.^[7]

Coutts again led the Oracle Team as CEO in the next America's Cup match against Emirates Team New Zealand. This match took place in the bay of San Francisco in September 2013. Oracle managed to come back from 8 races to 1 by winning the following 8 races and to defend the cup in the longest America's cup match ever. Both skipper James Spithill and team owner Larry Ellison praised Coutts' role in the defense of the oldest trophy in sports history.^[8][9]

Coutts was educated at Otago Boys' High School (1975–1979) and is a Life Member of Paremata Boating Club, where he learnt to sail in a P class, and the Ravensbourne Boating Club.^{[citation needed]}

Achievements[]

As of 27 September 2015^[10]

• 1981 – ISAF World Youth Champion / Winner
• 1984 – 1984 Olympic Games / Los Angeles / Finn Class / Gold Medal
• 1992 – World Champion / Match Racing
• 1993 – World Champion / Match Racing
             – Admiral's Cup / Pinta / /Winner
• 1994 – World Champion / Match Racing
• 1995 – 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup / Black Magic / San Diego / Winner (37 victories, 1 loss) – Skipper & Helmsman

/>           – 1995 America's Cup / Black Magic (Challenger) / San Diego / Winner (5 to 0) – Skipper & Helmsman

• 1996 – World Champion / Match Racing
• 2000 – 2000 America’s Cup / Team New Zealand (Defender) / Auckland / Winner (5 to 0) – Skipper & Helmsman
• 2001 – World Champion / 12 metre JI / Cowes
             – World Champion / Farr 40 / Southampton, UK
• 2003 – 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup / Alinghi / Auckland / Winner (30 victories, 4 losses) – Skipper & Helmsman
             – 2003 America's Cup / Alinghi (Challenger) / Auckland / Winner (5 to 0) – Skipper & Helmsman
• 2006 – Bol d'Or Rolex / Decision 35 / Team Banque Gonet / Switzerland / Winner
             – World Champion / Farr 40 / Vincenzo Onorato Team / Newport, U.S.
• 2007 – World Champion / TP 52 / Team Artemis
• 2008 – Cagliari RC44 Cup, Match Racing / RC44 / BMW ORACLE Racing / Cagliari, Italy / Winner
             – TP 52 Audi MedCup / TP 52 / Team USA 17 / Winner
             – Malcesine SLAM Cup, Match Racing / RC44 / BMW ORACLE Racing / Malcesine, Italy / Winner
• 2010 2010 America's Cup / BMW Oracle Racing (Challenger) / Valencia / Winner (2 to 0) – Team Chief Executive Officer
• 2013 2013 America's Cup / Oracle Racing (Defender) / San Francisco, USA / Winner (9 to 8) – Team Chief Executive Officer

Awards[]

• 1984 – New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year
• 1985 – Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to yachting, in the 1985 New Year Honours^[1]
• 1994 – Silbernes Lorbeerblatt,^[11] German National Award
• 1995 – Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to yachting, in the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours^[2]
• 1995 – Sperry World Sailor of the Year
• 1995 – Halberg Award
• 1995 – ISAF World Sailor of the Year Award
• 1996 – America's Cup Hall of Fame
• 1996 – World Trophy for Oceania
• 2000 – Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, DCNZM^[3]
• 2003 – ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award
• 2009 – Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, KNZM^[4]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Russell Coutts.

• Profile, nzherald.co.nz; accessed 24 April 2016.
• Sir Russell Coutts lobbied for Dean Barker to be in Team Japan mix for next America's Cup, stuff.co.nz; accessed 24 April 2016.
• Sir Russell Coutts bars former Kiwi team-mate from America's Cup meeting in London, independent.co.uk; accessed 24 April 2016.