Brad Butterworth

Brad Butterworth: The Man Who Let His Tactics Do the Talking

Early Childhood and Initial Connection to Sailing

Brad Butterworth was never one for grand entrances, but his lifelong journey with the sea began in a way that felt fated. Born in 1959 in the small New Zealand town of Te Awamutu—hardly a nautical hotspot—his introduction to sailing came thanks to his father, who took young Brad out on Auckland’s Panmure Basin at the age of five. From those early tacks and jibes, a quiet obsession took root. By sixteen, Brad had left school and thrown himself into sailmaking. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was honest—and it kept him close to the wind.

Journey to Nautical Success

Brad’s path to the top of the sailing world wasn’t paved with self-promotion or flash. He started out racing Stewart 34s and cut his teeth in the rough-and-tumble world of New Zealand match racing. Under the watchful eye of mentor Bill Miller, he developed the razor-sharp tactical mind that would become his signature. His talents caught the attention of legends like Sir Peter Blake and Dennis Conner, and soon Brad was sailing in events most kids only dreamed of.

One of his breakthrough moments came aboard Steinlager II in the 1989–90 Whitbread Round the World Race. The boat not only won every leg of the race—it won every leg with Brad as watch captain, quietly steering the team toward history.

Major Career Achievements

You won’t catch Brad bragging about it, but the man has four America’s Cup victories to his name. He played key roles in Team New Zealand’s triumphs in 1995 and 2000, then did the unthinkable: he joined Switzerland’s Alinghi and helped win the Cup again in 2003 and 2007. Under his tactical command, Alinghi won an astonishing 16 consecutive America’s Cup races—an undefeated streak that still has seasoned tacticians scratching their heads.

Brad’s trophy shelf also includes an Admiral’s Cup win in 1987, multiple Whitbread races, and the honor of being named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1995. But if you ask him, he’d probably tell you he was just in the right place at the right time—preferably windward.

Personal Life and Broader Impact

Brad’s style off the water is much like his style on it: calm, calculated, and never in need of the last word. When Alinghi took him to Europe in the early 2000s, he brought his family along, settling partly in Switzerland but always keeping one foot—and heart—firmly in New Zealand.

Though not one to chase the spotlight, Brad has quietly supported youth sailing and mentored countless sailors who admire his understated brilliance. His influence has stretched across oceans and generations, not because he shouted, but because he listened—and plotted three moves ahead.

Brad Butterworth may not be the loudest voice in the room, but when it comes to sailing, he’s often the smartest. And when the wind shifts, you’ll find him exactly where he always is—one step ahead.