Coutts eyes Kiwi team role for SailGP

Kiwi yachting legend Sir Russell Coutts intends to have personal involvement with a New Zealand team in an expanded SailGP.

The second season of SailGP starts in Sydney next weekend. Teams from Australia, Japan, the United States, Great Britain, Spain, Denmark and France are involved.

Coutts, the mastermind behind the series, suggested another team could be added this year and he wants to see the fleet grow to 10. He wants a New Zealand team in the mix, hopefully by 2022, which he thinks is a ‘‘realistic option’’.

The former Olympic champion and a five-time winner of the America’s Cup won’t be on board – ‘‘these boats clearly favour young sailors with better reaction times’’ – but the 57-year-old is keen to be involved in managing the franchise.

‘‘Certainly one of my objectives is to have a New Zealand team competing,’’ Coutts told Stuff.

He said the initial fleets – Spain and Denmark have been added this year with China dropping out – were built around commercial realities. ‘‘Look at where the teams are from, they are generally from major media markets and that is generally the quickest way to grow an audience,’’ Coutts said. The next Sydney regatta had a 300 per cent increase in ticket sales on last year.

‘‘It is on the plans to include New Zealand in the format.

‘‘I may well become involved with a New Zealand team in the future as part of the management group or the ownership group. That’s something that I’m definitely looking at and will pursue.’’

A 2022 SailGP entry for a New Zealand team would come after next year’s America’s Cup in Auckland.

Coutts may already have a readymade New Zealand skipper in Phil Robertson, a world match-racing champion who captained China last year and is helping bed in the Spanish team. He will helm Spain initially.

‘‘Phil is helping them fast-track their talent and it looks like it has worked, they were very fast at the end of their trials up in Northland.’’ Coutts believes Spain could be a dark horse this year.

See tomorrow’s Sunday StarTimes and Sunday News for SailGP speed record set to be broken.