Russell Coutts : biography
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
- 1984 – New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year
- 1985 – Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE
- 1994 – Silberne Lorbeerblatt, German National Award
- 1995 – Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE
- 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, DCNZ
- 2003 – ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award
- 2009 – Knight 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
- 1992 – World Champion / Match Racing
- 1993 – World Champion / Match Racing – Admiral’s Cup / Pinta / 1st
- 1994 – World Champion / Match Racing
- 1995 – 1995 America’s Cup / Skipper of Black Magic (Challenger) / San Diego / Winner (37 victories, 1 loss)
- 1996 – World Champion / Match Racing
- 2000 – 2000 America’s Cup / Team New Zealand (Defender) / Auckland / Winner (5 to 0) – Helmsman
- 2001 – World 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.
- 2007 – World 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