Russell Coutts and The Rolling Stones

We could forgive The Australian Financial Review for not being tuned into sport, but when the sportsman is New Zealand’s highest-profile international yachtsman, and was once its highest paid athlete, you’d think Sir Russell Coutts would be better known on the neighbor nation.

In an interview with the sailing legend, here’s some excerpts from the exchange:

Do you race?
I used to race all the time. My career spanned nearly 30 years and took me to every corner of the globe.

How do you find crew?
I recently put together the six teams that will be competing in SailGP’s inaugural season. It didn’t take long to find some of the world’s most talented sailors who were eager to represent their countries in a new annual professional championship. If I needed crew for my own boat, I would probably ask our Aussie skipper, Tom Slingsby.

How often do you sail and where?
I don’t sail all that often now, but I used to sail five days a week. I’ve been fortunate to sail with various people all over the world.

Have you sailed solo?
I’ve done a lot of solo racing in single-handed boats – including in the Olympics – but I prefer sailing with a team.

Who’d you most like to sail with?
The Rolling Stones.

Editor’s note: We’ll remember to be ready if ever sitting down with Warren Buffett for an interview.