Head to head: The tacticians

Team Alinghi: Brad Butterworth

Brad Butterworth is half of a pair regarded as the best in the world at what they do.

Butterworth is tactician for helmsman Russell Coutts, and the two of them can throw around a 25m America's Cup class yacht like no other.

They are a formidable duo, having already won the Cup twice and now the challengers' series to take on Team New Zealand.

Butterworth has a long and respected career as a sailor, one that earned him the OBE in 1995.

Born in Te Awamutu, he went to school in Auckland at Penrose, saying he was pretty "hopeless".

In his early years, he set up his own sailmaking business before developing a reputation as a skilled helmsman.

He came to national prominence in 1986, when he sailed as Chris Dickson's tactician on KZ7 in New Zealand's first America's Cup challenge.

But in 1987 he and Dickson were both dropped as part of New Zealand's team for the world 12-metre yachting championships, a decision that stunned then arch-foe Dennis Conner of Stars and Stripes.

"I can only say that Dickson and Butterworth make an excellent team. They are outstanding yachtsmen for whom I have the highest respect."

But Butterworth, now 43, was not one to sit back.

He skippered Propaganda in New Zealand's 1987 Admiral's Cup winning team, was watch captain on Sir Peter Blake's unbeaten Steinlager II round-the-world campaign before rejoining the New Zealand America's Cup camp in 1992 as back-up tactician.

He also teamed as co-skipper on Conner's 1993 round-the-world entry.

By 1995 he and Russell Coutts had paired for Team New Zealand, and the two helped bring the Cup to New Zealand.

His ability to see a breeze shift or anticipate the tactics of his adversaries is perhaps unrivalled. Mistakes are rare and not repeated, and he sums up his view towards them neatly. "Your biggest worry is screwing up."

Butterworth has been reviled for leaving Team New Zealand and accepting a lucrative offer to sail with Coutts at Alinghi.

But he spoke about differences within the camp during the last campaign.

"Coutts and I enjoy the competitive side between the two teams and the psychology of it, and we've learned a helluva lot about it from the Americans."

He also lamented that Team New Zealand made too many concessions to challengers.

"It's been made incredibly easy for the challenger, that's one mistake we have made. We haven't made it tough enough."

Team NZ: Hamish Pepper

For Hamish Pepper, the prospect of a Hauraki Gulf battle against the best there is holds no fears.

Instead Pepper, who is one of those expected to call the tactics for Team New Zealand, is thrilled at the upcoming test of skills against Alinghi tactician Brad Butterworth and helmsman Russell Coutts.

"Having been in the team last time and raced against them a lot, we know a little about how they think."

Pepper, 31, was the back-up tactician for Team New Zealand in their 2000 defence, pairing with helmsman Dean Barker to tune up Coutts' team on the main boat. Coutts admitted the young pairing and their team beat his more experienced crew as often as they lost with the rough and tumble of the pre-start practices resulting in more than one dent from a clash of boats.

Pepper started sailing on the North Shore with his father from the age of 9. During his college years, he often sailed with his schoolmate Barker, and later they became training partners and rivals in Lasers.

Pepper finished fourth in four world Laser championships and finished 10th at the Atlanta Olympic Games.

He also gained the world's top ranking in Lasers in 1995. Team New Zealand's sailing coach Ed Baird invited him to join his crew in the world match-racing championships, which they won, repeating the feat in 2000.

The crew will be named only on the opening race-day, but Pepper is expected to have some strategic input.

Pepper says his long sailing relationship with Barker has helped them trust each other.

"Friendship in all teams is important. You've got to get along because you spend a lot of time together, so it's pretty crucial to any team."


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