Meet the crew

31.01.2010 (19:03 CET) - Valencia, Spain - Alinghi

Meet the Sailing Team, Brad Butterworth (NZL)

Alinghi 5 in Genoa.Brad Butterworth

(Photo credit: Guido Trombetta/Alinghi)

Brad Butterworth has achieved more than almost any other sailor in the modern era of the America’s Cup, having called the winning tactics on board the winning boat in the last four Cups. However, whenever he’s asked what it takes to win the America’s Cup, he always replies, “Having the faster boat.”

Maybe the tactician is being modest or maybe it’s the harsh reality of the America’s Cup that the faster boat does always win. The 33rd Cup, more than any other of recent times, must surely be decided by the fastest boat. But when asked the question this time, Butterworth says that the key to winning will be “probably not breaking”! Alinghi’s skipper is only being slightly tongue in cheek. “It’s a design contest that’s full of innovation, above and below the water, testing the limits of structures and materials. I think it’s going to be the fastest boat, but also the most reliable boat that will win this time.”

As a tactician and a strategist, Butterworth is as cunning as a fox; capable of outsmarting almost anyone else in a close chess match. But how much of that cunning is he going to be able to bring into play this time, where speed is expected to be the winning factor? “Well, I think it’s a yacht race like any other yacht race, so there’ll be strategies that we will have to implement and we have been thinking hard about what the races will be like. I think there will be some good tactical situations even though the boats will be sailing at much faster speeds.”

Some people have been concerned about the potential closing speeds of the two giant multihulls in a pre-start situation. Butterworth, however, has faith that both teams will be sensible about sailing aggressively without venturing into dangerous territory. “Neither of these boats has been in a match race before and so it will take quite a while to get the measure of each other. The Racing Rules of sailing do a good job of keeping boats apart, although of course we shouldn’t forget that this is still a match race. I just hope that we can have a good race while keeping everybody safe. That would be the perfect outcome.”

As for that magic moment that happens at the start of every America’s Cup match, when Defender and Challenger line up against each other for the first time, Butterworth knows that feeling better than anyone. As to how he things this time will compare with previous Cups, he replies: “Quite different, because we will not have raced this boat, so in times gone past we’ve had the odd view of the other boat and the racing. Even if it’s a fleet race or a one-off match race we’ve still had the opportunity to sail the other teams. But this time there has been none of that. When both teams line up on that first day, no one really knows how they’re going to compare.”

With that said, Butterworth has a lot of faith in the people of Alinghi. “I think we’ve got a great group. I think that’s the secret of it. There are a lot of guys that have been with the team since it was born and they’ve stuck with it and they’re integral parts of making the boat go fast. It’s a team sport. It’s been a team sport for a long time now, but you need everybody to do their bit and I think that’s what makes us quite strong, as we’ve got great people in every area of the game.”