Kaenon Polarized

BIO

Name: Brad Butterworth – America’s Cup holder / skipper Alinghi- New Zealand

New Zealand native Brad Butterworth began sailing at the age of 6 and has gone on to become one of the most renowned yachtsmen in the world. He is best known as tactician and skipper in the America’s Cup for Team New Zealand and the Alinghi team of Switzerland. Butterworth’s international racing experience is extensive including campaigns in the Admiral’s Cup, the Kenwood Cup, the Sydney to Hobart Race, the Fastnet Race, the Whitbread Round the World Race and the America’s Cup.

1983 marked Butterworth’s first America’s Cup experience as a sail-maker in the winning Australian campaign. The America’s Cup has been an integral part of his career; he’s participated in almost every event since 1983 and has been on the winning team four times, twice as “challenger” and twice as “defender”. 1987 was a busy year as Butterworth not only served as tactician aboard New Zealand’s Fremantle in the America’s Cup, but also as the skipper for the top ranked Admiral’s Cup boat Propaganda.

There was a bit of controversy surrounding Butterworth, Russell Coutts, and several other members of the New Zealand team moving to team Alinghi after a successful New Zealand defense of the America’s Cup in 2000. Alinghi went on to win the America’s Cup in 2003, beating Team New Zealand 5-0 in waters near Auckland. Russell Coutts left Alinghi in 2005, and Butterworth took over as skipper and went on to win the 2007 America’s Cup in Valencia, again beating Team New Zealand, this time 5-2.

Butterworth had an impressive unbeaten run of 16 wins in America’s Cup racing dating back to 1995. The run came to an end on June 24th, 2007 when the defender, Alinghi, was beaten in the second race of the 2007 America’s Cup by the challenger Emirates Team New Zealand.