Russell Coutts
Sir Russell Coutts ( born March 1, 1962 in Wellington ) is a New Zealand sailor and yacht designer. He also organizes sailing competitions.
Biography
Sir Russell Coutts learned to sail at age six on the scale for children P class. Although he also played intensively golf, he opted for the sport of sailing. Russell Coutts is a qualified engineer and has been designed sailing yachts.
Five times (1995 and 2000 for New Zealand, 2003 for Switzerland, 2010 and 2013 for the U.S. ), he won the America's Cup. In 1995, he brought this most important of sailing trophies with the yacht "Black Magic ", 2000 with " New Zealand", 2003, Alinghi and 2010 with the trimaran "USA". 2013 finally defended his team Oracle America's Cup on the new AC72 catamaran in the Bay of San Francisco against the New Zealand team, in which his successor Dean Barker acted as skipper and helmsman. The change as skipper of " Team New Zealand" to " Alinghi " in 2000 brought Russell Coutts in his native New Zealand a lot of criticism, which reached to the accusation of treason. Due to internal strife, he left after the Cup - winning 2003 team Alinghi. According to the statutes of the Cup he was allowed to sign up to the end of the next cycle Cup in 2007, no other syndicate.
Russell Coutts reached as helmsman total of 14 victories in the America's Cup and thus leads in the all-time best list a victory against Dennis Conner. He is also the only skipper who is unbeaten with 14 wins. In the last race of the America 's Cup 2000, he left his eventual successor at Team New Zealand Dean Barker the control.
In 2005, he devoted himself with the yacht designer Andrej Justin the development of the new class of boat RC 44
2007 announced Paul Cayard, Russell Coutts and João Lagos at an annual sailing competition, the World Sailing League.
After the 2007 America's Cup, Russell Coutts signed with BMW Oracle Racing team of U.S. software billionaire Larry Ellison as CEO for the next Cup. He was also one of the negotiators in the dispute between BMW Oracle Racing and Alinghi.
After the decision in the dispute between the two syndicates, New York Supreme Court that BMW Oracle Racing was the rightful challenger of Alinghi, Russell Coutts presented his new team: In addition Coutts James Spithill work as helmsman, John Kostecki as tactician, Hemish Pepper and other well-known sailing Stars for the team.
After a long legal battle of the 33rd America's Cup was held in February 2010 off the coast of Valencia. The trimaran "USA" with James Spithill as helmsman won 2-0 against Alinghi. The first of the two races Coutts left exactly as financier Ellison the boat just before the start, to save weight, given the light winds. In the second and decisive race on Sunday 14 February, both were on board when the U.S. won back the Cup after 15 years.
As CEO of Oracle Racing Team - BMW got out after winning the Cup 2010 - Coutts was instrumental in the organization and design of the 34th America 's Cup, which was held in September 2013 off the American coast in the San Francisco Bay.
Oracle Racing managed to still catch a 1:8 residue against Emirates Team New Zealand America's Cup Match in the longest history and to defend the Cup successfully. Although Coutts was not even on board saw both skipper James Spithill and team owner and software tycoon Larry Ellison in him the man who had made it possible to still catch a 1:8 lagging position.