Russell Coutts

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Russell Coutts bigraphy, stories - Sailor

Russell Coutts : biography

1 March 1962 –

Sir Russell Coutts, (born 1 March 1962 in Wellington, New Zealand), is a competitive sailor. His achievements include a Gold medal in the Finn Class in the 1984 Olympic Games, winning the America’s Cup four 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. He has a perfect record in America’s Cup racing with 16 wins to 0 losses. In 2013, after the "Fiasco in Frisco" he is credited of making a farce out of the America’s Cup., stuff.co.nz, 2013-07-07.

In New Zealand he has been honoured with appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1985 New Year Honours. Retrieved 10 January 2013. and then elevation to the rank of Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1995 Queen’s Birthday Honours.. Retrieved 10 January 2013. He was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2000 Queen’s Birthday Honours,. Retrieved 10 January 2013.and redesignated as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009.. Retrieved 10 January 2013. He has been named ISAF Sailor of the Year twice. He holds an impressive record in the America’s Cup, with 16 wins and no losses since 1995 winning four America’s Cups (1995, 2000, 2003, 2010).

In 2005, he designed – together with Slovenian designer Andrej Justin – 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.

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.http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/first-blood-to-usa-19-2362http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/usa-win-33rd-america-s-cup-match-19-2827 Most observers stated that USA 17’s rigid wing sail had given it a decisive advantage.http://www.tdg.ch/actu/sports/demonstration-puissance-oracle-brise-reve-alinghi-2010-02-12

Awards

  • 1984New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year
  • 1985Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE
  • 1994Silberne Lorbeerblatt, German National Award
  • 1995Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE
  • 1995Sperry World Sailor of the Year
  • 1995Halberg Award
  • 1995ISAF World Sailor of the Year Award
  • 1996America’s Cup Hall of Fame
  • 1996World Trophy for Oceania
  • 2000Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, DCNZ
  • 2003ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award
  • 2009Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, KCNZ

Sailing career

  • 1981 – ISAF World Youth Champion / 1st
  • 1984 – 1984 Olympic Games / Los Angeles / Finn Class / Gold Medal
  • 1992World Champion / Match Racing
  • 1993World Champion / Match Racing           – Admiral’s Cup / Pinta / 1st
  • 1994World Champion / Match Racing
  • 1995 – 1995 America’s Cup / Skipper of Black Magic (Challenger) / San Diego / Winner (37 victories, 1 loss)
  • 1996World Champion / Match Racing
  • 2000 – 2000 America’s Cup / Team New Zealand (Defender) / Auckland / Winner (5 to 0) – Helmsman
  • 2001World Champion / 12 metre JI / Cowes           – World Champion / Farr 40 / Southampton, UK
  • 2003 – 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup / Alinghi / Auckland / 1st – Helmsman           – 2003 America’s Cup / Alinghi (Challenger) / Auckland / Winner (5 to 0) – Helmsman
  • 2006 – Bol d’Or Rolex / Decision 35 / Team Banque Gonet / Switzerland / 1st           – World Champion / Farr 40 / Vincenzo Onorato Team / Newport, U.S.
  • 2007World Champion / TP 52 / Team Artemis
  • 2008 – Cagliari RC44 Cup, Match Racing / RC44 / BMW ORACLE Racing / Cagliari, Italy / 1st            – TP 52 Audi MedCup / TP 52 / Team USA 17 / 1st           – Malcesine SLAM Cup, Match Racing / RC44 / BMW ORACLE Racing / Malcesine, Italy / 1st
  • 2010 2010 America’s Cup / BMW Oracle Racing (Challenger) / Valencia / Winner (2 to 0) – Team Chief Executive Officer