31-559: Viaduct Harbour , formerly known as Viaduct Basin , is a former commercial harbour on the Auckland waterfront that has been turned into a development of mostly upscale apartments, office space and restaurants. It is located on the site of a formerly run-down area of the Freemans Bay / Auckland CBD waterfront in Auckland, New Zealand. As a centre of activity of the 2000 America's Cup hosted by
62-531: A decisive advantage. Coutts again led the Oracle Team as CEO in the next America's Cup match against Emirates Team New Zealand . This match took place in the bay of San Francisco in September 2013. Oracle managed to come back from 8 races to 1 by winning the following 8 races and to defend the cup in the longest America's cup match ever. Both skipper James Spithill and team owner Larry Ellison praised Coutts' role in
93-595: A feature of the area for most of the 20th century along with other industries such as foundries, many of which were associated with ship building in one way or another. Boat building in Freeman's Bay was started in 1864 by Donald McInnis, who built a schooner . Other yards, added along much of the waterfront, included - In 1995, Russell Coutts and Team New Zealand won the America's Cup in San Diego . This led to Auckland hosting
124-556: A gold medal in the Finn class in the 1984 Olympic Games , winning the America's Cup five times, the ISAF World Youth championships, three World Match Racing Championships, numerous international match race wins and IOR , IMS and One Design World Championship victories. As skipper/helmsman in America's Cup racing, he has a perfect record with 15 wins and no losses (1995, 2000, 2003). He
155-580: A number of former wharves being converted to office, entertainment, and later also some residential uses. The waterfront stretches roughly from the suburb of Saint Marys Bay / the Auckland Harbour Bridge in the west to the Ports of Auckland areas in the east. However, in most usage, 'Auckland waterfront' only refers to those parts freely accessible to the public (such as around the Viaduct Basin and
186-701: A population of 1,008 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 33 people (3.4%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 309 people (44.2%) since the 2006 census . There were 630 households, comprising 516 males and 492 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female. The median age was 44.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 39 people (3.9%) aged under 15 years, 189 (18.8%) aged 15 to 29, 648 (64.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 129 (12.8%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 75.3% European/ Pākehā , 3.6% Māori , 1.8% Pacific peoples , 18.8% Asian , and 6.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
217-556: Is a world champion New Zealand yachtsman. He won an Olympic gold medal and skippered three Americas Cup victories in 1995, 2000, and 2003. Coutts was educated at Otago Boys' High School (1975–1979) and is a Life Member of Paremata Boating Club, where he learned to sail in a P class, and the Ravensbourne Boating Club. At the age of 17, he became national champion of New Zealand in the Laser class. Coutts' achievements include
248-503: Is at the moment is still industrial land / port land in large areas. However, Ports of Auckland (the company still owning most of the Auckland wharves ) noted that while it will explore plans for greater public access, it needed most of the space for the foreseeable future. As most of the Western Reclamation will not see any immediate transformation (due to ongoing commercial leases and required decontamination before future use),
279-488: The 2000 America's Cup , and the viaduct was redeveloped to accommodate the America's Cup teams. After the competition, the area became a mixed-use zone of apartments and restaurants. A 2003 proposal to rename the Viaduct Harbour to 'Blake Harbour' (for Sir Peter Blake , a famous New Zealand yachtsman) was not successful. In 2011, the area of the Auckland waterfront to the west of the Viaduct Harbour, historically known as
310-636: The Auckland CBD ), and thus at the moment excludes much of the Western Reclamation and almost the whole of the Ports of Auckland area to the east. While Auckland City technically has a second waterfront on the Manukau Harbour , this is never called 'Auckland waterfront'. During 2006, a prolonged public discussion about the future of the waterfront was begun, first by the start of public consultation on
341-561: The Lyttelton course led local authorities to cancel racing on 23 March. SailGP organisers had been expecting 22,000 people to attend the event. Coutts criticised "minority interests" particularly the Lyttelton harbourmaster, Department of Conservation , ECan ( Environment Canterbury and local Māori iwi (tribe) Ngāti Wheke for what he called "extremely restrictive" protocols on racing. In response to Coutt's remarks, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke and
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#1732852288489372-654: The anti-mandate protest in Wellington . In New Zealand, Coutts was honoured with appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1985 New Year Honours and then elevation to the rank of Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours . He was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours , and redesignated as
403-463: The " Down syndrome kids of marine mammals." In early May 2024, Newsroom reported that Coutts' SailGP was negotiating with the economic development agency ChristchurchNZ over future SailGP events being hosted by Lyttelton. The website also reported that an evening call with Coutts had led to an urgent board meeting at ChristchurchNZ. In July 2007, Coutts was named CEO and Skipper of BMW Oracle Racing , sponsored by Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC),
434-558: The Harbour Board to engage in dredging and the construction of new wharves. This left the partially completed lighter basin without a real purpose, so it was used to berth the various fishing boats and thus tidy up the appearance of the Auckland waterfront further east. Next to the Lighter Basin a fish market and various warehouses were constructed, including Turners & Growers Ltd, the city's main produce wholesalers. The far side of
465-487: The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, as well as the 2022 Rally New Zealand , the precinct enjoyed considerable popularity with locals and foreign visitors. The statistical area of Wynyard-Viaduct, which also includes Wynyard Quarter , covers 0.60 km (0.23 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,180 as of June 2024, with a population density of 1,967 people per km. Wynyard-Viaduct had
496-588: The United States Challenger to the 2010 America's Cup . He was involved in the pre-match litigation between the challengers Golden Gate Yacht Club and Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), in which the court decided that the GGYC was the rightful Challenger of Record. Cup Defender SNG's team was Alinghi . Coutts' yacht USA beat the defending yacht Alinghi 5 by considerable margins in both races. Most observers stated that USA 17's rigid wing sail had given it
527-410: The Western Reclamation or Tank Farm, was redeveloped into Wynyard Quarter . Auckland waterfront The Auckland waterfront (rarely the Auckland harbourfront ) is a city-side stretch of the southern Waitematā Harbour coastline in Auckland , New Zealand. Previously mostly dominated by Ports of Auckland uses, from the 2000s on it is becoming increasingly open to recreational public use, with
558-399: The area was connected by a mechanical bridge that was able to be raised to allow passage into the basin to the fishing vessels which used it. For most of the 20th century, the harbour acted as the centre for much of the fishing industry in Auckland. Timber mills had occupied the edges of Freeman's Bay prior to the construction of the Lighter Basin and Victoria Park ; these continued to be
589-606: The defense of the oldest trophy in sports history. He competed twice at the Olympics: Coutts has been married twice and has four children. His son, Grayson, was previously in a relationship with journalist David Farrier . In 2021, Coutts criticised the New Zealand government's response to COVID-19 and suggested that the government was acting like a dictatorship by establishing vaccine mandates and enforcing managed isolation. In 2022, he announced that he would be attending
620-548: The design features of the RC44 are dedicated to the amateur helmsmen racing in fleet racing sailing events. Coutts along with American billionaire businessman Larry Ellison co-founded the SailGP professional series in October 2019. In mid-March 2024, Coutts announced that SailGP would not return to Christchurch , New Zealand, in 2025 after the presence of endangered Hector's dolphins on
651-498: The early years of the 20th century. As the size of ships was increasing dramatically, rather than build new wharves or dredge the harbour channels, it was proposed that cargo ships moor out in the Waitematā Harbour channel and be unloaded into "lighters", small barges that would then ferry the goods to shore via the specially built wharves in the new "Viaduct Lighter Basin". The shipping companies refused to co-operate and forced
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#1732852288489682-414: The future of the Western Reclamation , then by the plans for Stadium New Zealand on the land of Ports of Auckland . While the plans for Stadium New Zealand were eventually scrapped (partly because of complaints of some citizens that it would block harbour views, but mostly due to its effect on port operations), the discussion had shown that Aucklanders would prefer greater access to the waterfront, which
713-401: The host city agency ChristchurchNZ defended their marine mammal management plan, with the former saying that SailGP had "knew what they signed up for when they decided to hold the event within a marine mammal sanctuary." University of Otago zoologist Professor emeritus Liz Slooten said it was normal for Hector's dolphins to swim in harbours in autumn and criticised the organisers for not hosting
744-400: The mix. Commentators have remarked that the wharf has been open to the public before during its early working life, when loading took place next to strolling members of the public, recreational fishing and other uses, a kind of life as on a "European square", and that the authorities should try to recreate such a feeling by providing for compatible mixed uses. The Yokohama Passenger Terminal
775-552: The race in winter. Similar sentiments were echoed by Auckland City Councillor Josephine Bartley and Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand Executive Director Russell Norman . By contrast, Coutts was defended by former National Party leader and Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges who said that interest groups were opposing major events such as the SailGP race across the country. The Platform broadcaster Sean Plunket also made controversial remarks describing Hector's dolphins as
806-648: The sights are currently set on extending the public areas of the Viaduct Basin with a new entertainment strip along Jellicoe St to the west of it. This is to be linked by a bridge to the Viaduct and the Auckland CBD, with the bridge design possibly being internationally tendered , and for all works to be completed in time for the Rugby World Cup 2011 . In early 2008, ARC plans were unveiled that may see Queens Wharf ,
837-485: The wharf closest to the Auckland Ferry Terminal , converted into public space. Currently the wharf is used to store ripening bananas and hold import cars before fumigation treatment by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry staff. However, plans for the specific activities are still up in the air, though a new cruise ship terminal, to support the heavily booked Princes Wharf terminal, seems likely to be part of
868-535: Was $ 74,000, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 507 people (52.3%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 645 (66.6%) people were employed full-time, 99 (10.2%) were part-time, and 27 (2.8%) were unemployed. Designed along the line of the basins common in London , the Viaduct Basin was so-called because of a failed scheme by the Auckland Harbour Board in
899-429: Was 53.0, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 57.4% had no religion, 30.4% were Christian , 0.9% were Hindu , 1.8% were Muslim , 1.8% were Buddhist and 3.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 495 (51.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 33 (3.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income
930-458: Was CEO of the Oracle Team when it won the America's Cup twice with 14 wins and 16 losses (2010, 2013 and 2017 each time with James Spithill as skipper/helmsman). In 2005 Slovenian designer Andrej Justin designed with input from him a new boat called the RC44 , a high-performance one-design racer created for top-level racing in international regattas under strictly controlled Class Rules. The concept and
961-605: Was held up as an example, with port, ferry and customs/immigration facilities contained within a wharf, and with a sweeping public park on the roof of the structure. A 2010 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers projected that up to 2040, the waterfront would generate $ 4.29 billion for the economy of the region, and about 13,600 people could be employed in waterfront businesses by that time. 36°50′34″S 174°45′51″E / 36.842700°S 174.764292°E / -36.842700; 174.764292 Russell Coutts Sir Russell Coutts KNZM CBE (born 1 March 1962)