Coutts coaches US Olympians

Russell Coutts - who quit Team New Zealand for a wealthy Swiss America's Cup syndicate this year - has gone one better and joined forces with the United States yachting team at the Olympics.

The New Zealand yachting team were surprised to find him coaching the United States Soling crew, who will compete against Kiwi medal hope Rod Davis and his team in Sydney.

The Soling event begins with fleet racing but ends with match racing, at which Coutts is a master, having twice won the America's Cup.

Yachting team manager Russell Green said the New Zealand sailors had no complaints about Coutts.

Green had Coutts in his chase boat on Monday, and the American Soling crew went racing yesterday against their New Zealand rivals.

"To be fair, Russell has coached them in the past, and I don't think he is acting in an official capacity," Green said. "But it's certainly raised a few eyebrows in the New Zealand team."

Coutts was skipper of Team New Zealand's victorious 1995 America's Cup challenge in San Diego and was at the helm in their successful defence against Prada this year.

However, he and tactician Brad Butterworth stunned their New Zealand supporters in May when they revealed that they had signed with a Swiss America's Cup syndicate headed by billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli.

Coutts, who won a gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, is expected to leave Sydney today after a four-day stay and return for the Olympic regatta.

Neither he nor American team manager Jonathan Harley could be contacted last night for comment.

- NZPA

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