Editing Russell Coutts (section)

== Career ==
Coutts' achievements include a gold medal in the [[Finn (dinghy)|Finn class]] in the [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Olympic Games]],<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference}}</ref> winning the [[America's Cup]] five times,<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 February 2024 |title=Russell Coutts {{!}} America’s Cup Winner, NZ Yachtsman {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Russell-Coutts |access-date=12 March 2024 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> the [[International Sailing Federation|ISAF]] World Youth championships, three World Match Racing Championships, numerous international match race wins and [[International Offshore Rule|IOR]], [[International Measurement System|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).

===RC44 series===
In 2005 Slovenian designer Andrej Justin designed with input from him a new boat called the [[RC44 (keelboat)|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.<ref>[https://www.sailingworld.com/rc44-phenomenon/ James Boyd]. The RC44 Phenomenon. Sailing World. 24 January 2017</ref>

===SailGP series===
Coutts along with American billionaire businessman [[Larry Ellison]] co-founded the [[SailGP]] professional series in October 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=What is SailGP? |url= https://yachtracing.life/what-is-sailgp/ |website=Yachtracing.life |access-date=17 April 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231230031424/https://yachtracing.life/what-is-sailgp/ |archive-date=30 December 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In mid-March 2024, Coutts announced that SailGP would not return to [[Christchurch]], New Zealand, in 2025 after the presence of endangered [[Hector's dolphin]]s on the [[Lyttelton, New Zealand|Lyttelton]] course led local authorities to cancel racing on 23 March. SailGP organisers had been expecting 22,000 people to attend the event. Coutts criticised "minority interests" particularly the Lyttelton harbourmaster, [[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]], ECan ([[Environment Canterbury]] and local [[Māori people|Māori]] [[iwi]] (tribe) [[Ngāti Wheke]] for what he called "extremely restrictive" protocols on racing.<ref name="RNZ 23 Mar 2024">{{cite news |last1=Coutts |first1=Russell |title=SailGP will not return to Christchurch – Russell Coutts |url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/512491/sailgp-will-not-return-to-christchurch-russell-coutts |access-date=17 April 2024 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=23 March 2024}}</ref><ref name="Newshub 25 Mar 2024">{{cite news |title=Auckland councillor Josephine Bartley says Sir Russell Coutts' 'entitlement' is 'unbelievable' after SailGP drama |url= https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2024/03/auckland-councillor-josephine-bartley-says-sir-russell-coutts-entitlement-is-unbelievable-after-sailgp-drama.html |access-date=17 April 2024 |work=[[Newshub]] |date=25 March 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240410220823/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2024/03/auckland-councillor-josephine-bartley-says-sir-russell-coutts-entitlement-is-unbelievable-after-sailgp-drama.html |archive-date=10 April 2024}}</ref> In response to Coutt's remarks, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke and the host city agency ChristchurchNZ defended their marine mammal management plan, with the former saying that SailGP had "knew what they signed up for when they decided to hold the event within a marine mammal sanctuary." University of Otago [[zoologist]] Professor emeritus Liz Slooten said it was normal for Hector's dolphins to swim in harbours in autumn and criticised the organisers for not hosting the race in winter.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Russell Coutts slams 'extreme' dolphin policy after SailGP races canned |url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/512544/sir-russell-coutts-slams-extreme-dolphin-policy-after-sailgp-races-canned |access-date=17 April 2024 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=24 March 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240416161511/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/512544/sir-russell-coutts-slams-extreme-dolphin-policy-after-sailgp-races-canned |archive-date=16 April 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> Similar sentiments were echoed by [[Auckland City Council]]lor Josephine Bartley and [[Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand]] Executive Director [[Russell Norman]].<ref name="Newshub 25 Mar 2024" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Norman |first1=Russell |title=SailGP not worth killing dolphins over as Russell Coutts signs up to war on nature |url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/sailing/russel-norman-sailgp-not-worth-killing-dolphins-over-as-russell-coutts-signs-up-to-war-on-nature/ZCYR7OG73JFWFCI2QYR54UAW5A/ |access-date=17 April 2024 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=26 March 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240404074832/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/sailing/russel-norman-sailgp-not-worth-killing-dolphins-over-as-russell-coutts-signs-up-to-war-on-nature/ZCYR7OG73JFWFCI2QYR54UAW5A/ |archive-date=4 April 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> By contrast, Coutts was defended by former [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]] leader and Auckland Business Chamber CEO [[Simon Bridges]] who said that interest groups were opposing major events such as the SailGP race across the country.<ref name="Newshub 25 Mar 2024" /> [[The Platform (radio station)|''The Platform'']] broadcaster [[Sean Plunket]] also made controversial remarks describing Hector's dolphins as the "[[Down syndrome]] kids of marine mammals."<ref>{{cite news |title=Sean Plunket, Cam Slater in nasty argument over Down syndrome dolphin comments |url= https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2024/03/sean-plunket-cam-slater-in-nasty-argument-over-down-syndrome-dolphin-comments.html |access-date=17 April 2024 |work=[[Newshub]] |date=27 March 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240410233503/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2024/03/sean-plunket-cam-slater-in-nasty-argument-over-down-syndrome-dolphin-comments.html |archive-date=10 April 2024|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In early May 2024, [[Newsroom (website)|Newsroom]] reported that Coutts' SailGP was negotiating with the economic development agency ChristchurchNZ over future SailGP events being hosted by Lyttelton. The website also reported that an evening call with Coutts had led to an urgent board meeting at ChristchurchNZ.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=David |title=Coutts’ call prompts urgent board meeting over SailGP |url=https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/05/08/coutts-call-prompts-urgent-board-meeting-over-sailgp/ |access-date=12 May 2024 |work=[[Newsroom (website)|Newsroom]] |date=8 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511061135/https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/05/08/coutts-call-prompts-urgent-board-meeting-over-sailgp/ |archive-date=11 May 2024}}</ref>

===America's Cup===
*'''1995''' – [[1995 Louis Vuitton Cup]] / [[Team New Zealand#1995: Black Magic|Black Magic]] / San Diego / '''Winner''' (37 victories, 1 loss) – Skipper & Helmsman – [[1995 America's Cup]] / [[Black Magic (yacht)|Black Magic]] (Challenger) / [[San Diego]] / '''Winner''' (5 to 0) – Skipper & Helmsman
*'''2000''' – [[2000 America’s Cup]] / [[Team New Zealand]] (Defender) / [[Auckland]] / '''Winner''' (5 to 0) – Skipper & Helmsman
*'''2003''' – [[2003 Louis Vuitton Cup]] / [[Alinghi]] / [[Auckland]] / '''Winner''' (30 victories, 4 losses) – Skipper & Helmsman<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; – [[2003 America's Cup]] / [[Alinghi]] (Challenger) / [[Auckland]] / '''Winner''' (5 to 0) – Skipper & Helmsman
*'''2010''' [[2010 America's Cup]] / [[BMW Oracle Racing]] (Challenger) / [[Valencia, Spain|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

In July 2007, Coutts was named CEO and [[Skipper (boating)|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 17 (yacht)|USA]] beat the defending yacht [[Alinghi 5]] by considerable margins in both races.<ref>{{cite web |title=America's Cup |url=http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/first-blood-to-usa-19-2362 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215214302/http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/first-blood-to-usa-19-2362 |archive-date=15 February 2010 |access-date=14 February 2010}}</ref><ref name="r2">{{cite web |title=America's Cup |url=http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/usa-win-33rd-america-s-cup-match-19-2827 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217034202/http://www.americascup.com/en/actualite/news/usa-win-33rd-america-s-cup-match-19-2827 |archive-date=17 February 2010 |access-date=14 February 2010}}</ref>

Most observers stated that USA 17's [[Sail#Types|rigid wing sail]] had given it a decisive advantage.<ref name="tdgr1">{{cite web |title=America's Cup |url=http://www.tdg.ch/actu/sports/demonstration-puissance-oracle-brise-reve-alinghi-2010-02-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927205254/http://www.tdg.ch/actu/sports/demonstration-puissance-oracle-brise-reve-alinghi-2010-02-12 |archive-date=27 September 2011 |access-date=21 April 2012}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Resurgent Spithill sings Russell Coutts' praises |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/americas-cup/9203491/Resurgent-Spithill-sings-Russell-Coutts-praises |access-date=14 February 2016 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Yacht Magazin |title="Das war wie ein Märchen" – YACHT.DE |url=http://www.yacht.de/sport/americas_cup/das-war-wie-ein-maerchen/a83509.html |access-date=14 February 2016 |work=YACHT.de}}</ref>

===World Championships===
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes|NotesOff=y}}
|-
|1981 || [[ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships|World Youth Sailing]] || ||style="background:gold;"| 1st ||

|-
| 1983 || [[Finn Gold Cup]] || [[Milwaukee]], USA || 13th || Finn class
|-
| 1984 || [[Finn Gold Cup]] || [[Anzio]], Italy || 7th || Finn class
|-
| 1989 || [[ISAF Open Match Racing World Championship|IYRU Match Racing World Championship]] || [[Lymington]], UK || 7th || Match racing
|-
|rowspan=2| 1990 || [[Soling World Championship]] || [[Medemblik]], Netherlands || 8th || Soling class
|-
| [[ISAF Open Match Racing World Championship|IYRU Match Racing World Championship]] || [[Auckland]], New Zealand || 5th || Match racing
|-
| 1991 || [[ISAF Open Match Racing World Championship|IYRU Match Racing World Championship]] || [[Hamilton, Bermuda]] || style="background:#c96;"| 3rd || Match racing
|-
| 1992 || [[ISAF Open Match Racing World Championship|IYRU Match Racing World Championship]] || [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], USA ||style="background:gold;"| 1st || Match racing
|-
| 1993 || [[ISAF Open Match Racing World Championship|IYRU Match Racing World Championship]] || [[Perth]], Australia ||style="background:gold;"| 1st || Match racing
|-
| 1996 || [[ISAF Open Match Racing World Championship]] || [[Dubrovnik]], Croatia ||style="background:gold;"| 1st || Match racing
|-
| 1998 || [[Etchells World Championship]] || [[Marblehead, Massachusetts|Marblehead]], USA ||style="background:silver;"| 2nd || Etchells class
|-
|rowspan=2|  2001 || [[12 Metre World Championship]] || [[Cowes]], UK ||style="background:gold;"| 1st || 12 Metre Grand Prix class
|-
| [[Farr 40 World Championships]] || [[Cowes]], UK ||style="background:gold;"| 1st || Farr 40 class
|-
|rowspan=2| 2003 || [[Farr 40 World Championship]] || [[Porto Cervo]], Italy || 4th || Farr 40 class
|-
| [[ISAF Open Match Racing World Championship]] || [[Riva del Garda]], Italy || 6th || Match racing
|-
| 2005 || [[Melges 24 World Championship]] || [[Key Largo]], USA || 28th || Melges 24 class
|-
| 2006 || [[Farr 40 World Championship]] || [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]], USA ||style="background:gold;"| 1st || Farr 40 class
|-
| 2008 || [[TP52 World Championship]] || [[Lanzarote]], Spain || 4th || TP52 class
|-
|rowspan=2| 2010 || [[Melges 32 World Championship]] || [[San Francisco]], USA || 7th || Melges 32 class
|-
| [[RC44 World Championship]] || [[Puerto Calero]], Spain ||style="background:silver;"|  2nd || RC44 class
|}{{updated|27 September 2015|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://members.sailing.org/sailors/biog.php?memberid=45619 |title=Biography |publisher=Members.sailing.org |access-date=14 February 2016}}</ref>}}

===Olympic Games===
He competed twice at the Olympics:
*In the [[Sailing at the 1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Olympic Games]] held in Los Angeles, USA he sailed the [[Finn (dinghy)|Finn class]] winning a '''Gold Medal'''
*In the [[Sailing at the 1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympic Games]] held in [[Barcelona]], Spain he finished 8th in the Soling class

===Other events===
*'''1993''' – [[Admiral's Cup]] / [[Pinta (yacht)|Pinta]] / '''/Winner'''
*'''2006''' – Bol d'Or Rolex / Decision 35 / Team Banque Gonet / [[Switzerland]] / '''Winner'''<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; – '''World Champion''' / [[Farr Yacht Design|Farr 40]] / Vincenzo Onorato Team / [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]], U.S.
*'''2007''' – '''Globals''' / TP 52 / Team Artemis
*'''2008''' – Cagliari RC44 Cup, [[Match Racing]] / RC44 / [[BMW Oracle Racing|BMW ORACLE Racing]] / [[Cagliari]], Italy / '''Winner''' <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; – TP 52 Audi MedCup / TP 52 / Team USA 17 / '''Winner'''<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; – Malcesine SLAM Cup, [[Match Racing]] / RC44 / [[BMW Oracle Racing|BMW ORACLE Racing]] / [[Malcesine]], Italy / '''Winner'''