AC36: MUST HEAR interview with Brad Butterworth (NZL) on Sunday Sport radio – the new AC 75 Class &q

CALISTOGA, CA (#1063) – Today our good friend Richard Gladwell, NZL editor of Sail-World.com, pinged your Ed. with a link to his story that he posted overnight after the esteemed Kiwi sailor and multiple Cup winner, Brad Butterworth, was interviewed in New Zealand on Sunday Sport radio about the 2021 America's Cup. Given Brad's unvarnished comments, this is a MUST HEAR for Cup fans and more.

Mr Butterworth's thinly veiled criticism of ETNZ CEO Grant Dalton aside, whom he calls "a bit of a blunt nail," (don't forget that Brad went after Mr Dalton's job after the 2013 Cup), Brad's informed and insightful observations are well worth taking in, best via Richard's Sail-World article. Or you can go direct to the live.co.nz interview with Mr Butterworth on Sunday Sport radio here (scroll down to the fourth story).

Mr Gladwell texted Sunday evening (USA West Coast time) to say that in less than 24 hours the Butterworth story has trended to number one on Sail-World. Richard adds, "The reality is that so far only three billionaires have fronted/backed teams. Aside from ETNZ there are no commercially backed teams. Plus Butterworth is right – ETNZ have set a very high bar."

Grant Dalton (NZL, left) and Brad Butterworth (NZL) during the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series at Auckland in 2009. The match racing exhibition regatta was organized to fill the void during the legal battle between Alinghi and Oracle leading to the 2010 Cup. ETNZ defeated Alinghi 3-1 in the finals. Photo: Chris Cameron / ETNZ –http://www.chriscameron.co.nz