Russell Coutts

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Medal record
Russell Coutts
Competitor for  New Zealand
Men's Sailing
Summer Olympics
Gold	Los Angeles 1984	Finn Class

Russell Coutts, DCNZM, CBE, born March 1, 1962 in Wellington New Zealand is a competitive sailor who is considered by many to be the best match racer in the world. His achievements include a Gold medal in the Finn Class in the 1984 Olympic Games, winning the America's Cup three times and various sailing world championships.

In 2004 he only competed twice on the Swedish Match Tour, but won both events convincingly. He is also undefeated in the America's Cup with 14 wins and no losses.

Coutts started in the America's Cup sailing as part of the New Zealand team that won and defended the Americas Cup in 1995 and 2000.

He left Team New Zealand after the 2000 event and joined the newly founded Swiss Alinghi team run by Ernesto Bertarelli and went on to win the 2003 America's Cup sailing against his former team mates. Coutts' move to Alinghi was greatly resented in New Zealand, was often portrayed as a betrayal and he was even described as being possibly the most disliked New Zealander alive. Coutts and other Alinghi team members even received death threats during the 2003 America's Cup^[1].

In late July 2004, Coutts' employment with Alinghi Holdings was terminated over allegations of contractual breach. In March 2005, Coutts and Bertarelli reached an amicable settlement that concluded a clause that Coutts would not sail for another syndicate in the upcoming 32nd America's Cup, which was sailed in Valencia Spain and was won by Alinghi.

In February 2007 Coutts teamed up with Paul Cayard to create a new annual global sports series, the World Sailing League (WSL) which is planned to be held at various sailing locations around the world. In July of 2007 Coutts was named CEO and Skipper of BMW Oracle Racing, an American Challenger to the America's Cup.^[2].

[edit] Sailing career

• 1981 ISAF World Youth Champion
• 1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, Finn Class, Gold Medal
• 1992 World Champion, Match Racing
• 1993 World Champion, Match Racing ~ Admiral's Cup Winner, “Pinta"
• 1995 America’s Cup Winner, Skipper of BlackMagic in San Diego (37 victories, 1 loss)
• 1996 World Champion, Match Racing
• 2000 America’s Cup Winner, Team New Zealand in Auckland (5 to 0)
• 2001 World Champion, 12 metre JI, Cowes ~ World Champion, Farr 40, Southampton, UK
• 2003 America's Cup Winner, Team Alinghi in Auckland (5 to 0)
• 2006 World Champion, Farr 40, Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.

[edit] References

1. ^ New York Times January 10, 2003. YACHT RACING; New Zealand Cries Betrayal As Skipper Races for Swiss [1]
2. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/sailing/6914570.stm

[edit] External links

• http://russellcoutts.com/en/ - Official Russell Coutts's website
• http://rc44.com/ www.rc44.com - Official RC44 Class Association's website
• http://www.transpac52.org/home.html - Official Transpac 52 Website