January 18, 2025 • 10 mins
19-year-old Mattias Coutts is looking back on achieving a personal goal and making sailing history after winning the Moth World Championships.
The son of Kiwi sailing legend Russell Coutts claimed the title at Manly Sailing Club last Thursday.
Coutts joined Piney to discuss the win.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
One twenty seven on News Talks EDB. Great to welcome
in a World Champion now. Earlier this month, nineteen year
old Matteas Coots claimed the Moth World Championship at Manly
Sailing Club in Auckland, dominating the six day event, leading
from start to finish, holding off a star started lineup
featuring some of the world's best sailors from various Olympic
classes and fourteen different nations. Mataeos Coots is the first
(00:36):
New Zealand salor to claim the world Championship title in
this class since Peter Berling did it back in twenty fifteen.
Coach joins us, congratulations. I know you said after the
regatti you're a bit lost for words, but with a
few days.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
To think about it and.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Ruminate on it, how do you reflect on on the
regatta that made your world champion?
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Yeah, yeah, for sure, thanks for welcoming out. It was
pretty cool. I mean, you know, obviously their dream of
mine didn't really expect to achieve its those soon and
it's pretty cool. Yeah, it was a fantastic event. Over
the six days we had, you know, we had grape breeze,
very windy to start it off, and then sort of
finished off with a couple of line to days. So
(01:16):
it was good to have a bit of a mix.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, So, explain the Moth class to us. Describe the
boat that you're sailing in this class.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
So the Moth class is actually unlike a lot of
the Olympic classes where they are what we call one design,
which is effectively supposed to be the same equipment across
across all boats, the Moth class there is various different
equipment that you can select from different manufacturers, and you're
pretty much trying to select the equipment that best works,
(01:44):
works best for you effectively.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yeah, and it's a failing it's a falling boat.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
It is a foiling boat like these sal Gp boat.
It's a lot different to them obviously, but yes, they
are foiling as well.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yes, So what does it take to sail them? Well,
it's tricky.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I mean I've actually been lucky enough to sail them
for probably five or six years now, so I got
a bit of experience in the boat. I mean, yeah,
unlike usual sailing boats, these boats are faster than the
wind speed so down when you have to sail at
sort of angles to the wind to continue the boat
(02:21):
on the foils, and obviously up on that is the
same as well. But yeah, they they are very tricky
technical boats. There's a lot going on with the foils.
And we have also a wand what we call which
sticks out the very front of the boat and that
effectively hits the water and pretty much controls how high
(02:42):
out of the water you fail the boat on the
on the on the foils.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yeah, so it was home conditions obviously for you. How
helpful was that being used to what you were facing
at the wheel Champs?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Yeah, for sure. I mean it's a big advantage definitely
to have home waters. You know, it makes it it
makes it a little bit easier when you're when you're
sailing against you know, such such a goods and yeah,
it was it was definitely helpful for us.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah, So across the event, as I said at the top,
you were you were pretty dominant you let from start
to finish? Was that? I guess it's always the plan,
but were you pleasantly surprised that that it went so
well for you right from the start? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
I think so. I mean again, I sort of I
sort of thought that it definitely helped me to have windy,
windy breeze to start the event, because as as I said,
in previous days, you know, like a lot of these
top sailors didn't have as much time in the boats
as what as what we as what I sort of
(03:44):
had this past year. So it was definitely an advantage
for for for me to get that extra time over
them and then have windy conditions. Because in windy conditions
what we call boat handling, so how you handle the
boat and do maneuvers so tacks through the wind and
then gibes down one can be quite difficult when it's
windy like that. So having extra time in the boat
(04:06):
makes it makes it quite a lot, quite a lot
of an advantage, makes it a bit easier when you
get that time and hours up. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Absolutely, so nine qualifying races and then eight gold fleet racers,
all going very well on the qualifying races. But I
understand a hit of the gold Fleet races, you suffered
some damage to your boat.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Can you tell us about that?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Yeah, So I hit an object in the water when
I was out practicing before one of the starts, and
I was out sort of thirty minutes before the first
race of the of the gold Fleet, and you hit
the object, managed to break the front floor, so the
main foil and then the rudder force the one that
(04:45):
you steal with as well, and also managed to rip
what's called the gantry which the rudderfoil connects on, to
rip a big hole straight through that. So yeah, I
managed to get what did your hat, I actually hit
a shark in the water. I hit a shark, So yeah,
(05:06):
not so good. Not so good obviously, But yeah, we
managed to get the bow back to shore and change
a couple of stuff, and with the help of the
help of a couple of my support support members, my
family members, Yeah, managed to get the boat back on
the water for race too.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Yeah that's because that sounds significant, that damage. Did you
think to yourself when it happened and you were surveying
it and you're taking it back to sure that that
might be it, You might be done for the regatta?
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Yes, to be honest, I did exactly. Yeah, I thought
my regatta was pretty much over. So I was pretty
worried at that point, and yeah, pretty much only managed
to just make it out to the second race as well,
with probably like four minutes before the second race actually started,
which isn't a lot of time, but yeah, I was
just fortunate to make it back out.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So if you hadn't made it for the second race,
because can you drop one? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Is that how it works?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
So it depends on the number of races that you
actually complete for the serious. So we managed to end
up completing seventeen races for the serious, so we ended
up getting to drop through. So usually in a series,
after six races you get to drop one, and then
after eleven races you drop two, and then after like
fifteen races you'll drop three. Yeah, so definitely not ideal
(06:19):
to have a to have a missed race, but yeah, yeah,
it allows you to have a bit of damage or
something like that and back out.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Is hitting sharks common?
Speaker 4 (06:28):
No, it's not very common at all. That was it
was not It's not common at all. Man.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
How much of an influence has your dad been on you?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
I think a lot. I think I I think my
dad and actually, well my whole family for sure, but
I always sort of say my dad and actually my
brother was a big influence for me growing up.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
My brother.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I've said it before. He actually because Dad was away
a lot overseas, you know, obviously a big idol and
you know, but yeah, my brother was there the whole
time when I was growing up, and yeah, he pretty
much made me I always stead of say not as
much of a not as much as a wimp for
something I would have been so, which is pretty useful.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
That's the job of a big brother does to make
sure the younger brothers are not WIMPs.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
It's part of the job, part of the job.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Did you I mean, it seems obvious in your family
with your dad, Sir Russell Coots, that you would go
into sailing, did it? But did you ever feel any
pressure to do so?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
No?
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Not really, not really. I mean, obviously there's there's some
things that are a little bit different in that situation,
but no, not so much.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Do you ever feel any pressure from the surname?
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Nah, a little bit. I mean it just depends on times,
you know, it does attract a bit more attention, but no,
not too much, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
You're still got to sael well though, no matter what
your name is, you're still got to get out there
and sail. So I get I'd see that the next month.
World Championship comes around pretty quickly. It's in Italy in
the middle of this year, So are you going to
be able to defend.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
I'm I'm hoping to Yeah, Italy. It would be great,
you know because yeah, as you said, such a short
period because they always change it between the northern Hemisphere
and the summer Southern Hemisphere each year, so that's why
you sometimes get it so close together like that, only
a six month period, And yeah, Italy is going to
be great. You know, we'll have sort of a round.
(08:26):
I think there's a cap number of boats of three
hundred boats. So last World Championships they had there and
I believe it was twenty twenty one, they had two
hundred and fifty boats, and I think they're expecting somewhere
similar to that this coming time. Maybe turned into sixty
t seventy competitive boats. Well, yeah, competitive boats. But since
the moth classes is such an evolving changing class, there
(08:50):
are differences in boats, but the newer boats are generally faster.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
So yeah, incredible.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
And what conditions will you face over there? Will they
have you been able to get engauge, whether they'll be
similar to here? I mean, you won't have the familiarity
with it, but any idea what the conditions will be like?
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Yeah, I mean I've been lucky to say there a
couple of times, so I do have a little bit
of a gauge on what the conditions will be like. Ten.
You tend to have quite a light afternoon bruise, but
quite a windy morning bruise. So it depends on whether
or not they say in the morning or the afternoon.
Such a cool place to say, though.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
It's amazing, And the forty nine er is your other
focus over the next little while. Tell us about what
lies ahead of you in the forty nine er.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Yeah, for sure. At the moment, I'm actually trying to
find a new partner for the forty niner class because
it's a two person boat. And but once I do that,
i'll be I'll be back into training for that, and yeah,
training towards the twenty twenty eight Olympics for me. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yeah, that's so, that's that's the that's the goal that
sits there at the moment.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Oh, yes, for sure.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Are you are you? Are you ambitious?
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Ambushious? Yeah? Yeah, I'm definitely ambitious, I think, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Yep, have you have you been on one of these
their fifties.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
I haven't. I haven't been on one of these their fifties.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
No, when you're watching from the shore, you must think, man,
I'd like to give that a crack.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Oh for sure, for sure. I think I think any
of us sailors you know, would love to give it
a crack. For sure. It's amazing, so cool to have
it and in our home home city as well. Fantastic,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Just it is a miteas congratulations on being a world champion.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
All the best.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Defending in the middle of the year in Italy and
for what lies ahead the road to la in twenty
twenty eight. I hope that works out well where you
find a partner first of all, and give that a
decent crack. Thanks for popping in for a chat for sure,
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
One twenty seven on News Talks EDB. Great to welcome
in a World Champion now. Earlier this month, nineteen year
old Matteas Coots claimed the Moth World Championship at Manly
Sailing Club in Auckland, dominating the six day event, leading
from start to finish, holding off a star started lineup
featuring some of the world's best sailors from various Olympic
classes and fourteen different nations. Mataeos Coots is the first
(00:36):
New Zealand salor to claim the world Championship title in
this class since Peter Berling did it back in twenty fifteen.
Coach joins us, congratulations. I know you said after the
regatti you're a bit lost for words, but with a
few days.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
To think about it and.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Ruminate on it, how do you reflect on on the
regatta that made your world champion?
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Yeah, yeah, for sure, thanks for welcoming out. It was
pretty cool. I mean, you know, obviously their dream of
mine didn't really expect to achieve its those soon and
it's pretty cool. Yeah, it was a fantastic event. Over
the six days we had, you know, we had grape breeze,
very windy to start it off, and then sort of
finished off with a couple of line to days. So
(01:16):
it was good to have a bit of a mix.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, So, explain the Moth class to us. Describe the
boat that you're sailing in this class.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
So the Moth class is actually unlike a lot of
the Olympic classes where they are what we call one design,
which is effectively supposed to be the same equipment across
across all boats, the Moth class there is various different
equipment that you can select from different manufacturers, and you're
pretty much trying to select the equipment that best works,
(01:44):
works best for you effectively.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yeah, and it's a failing it's a falling boat.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
It is a foiling boat like these sal Gp boat.
It's a lot different to them obviously, but yes, they
are foiling as well.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yes, So what does it take to sail them? Well,
it's tricky.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I mean I've actually been lucky enough to sail them
for probably five or six years now, so I got
a bit of experience in the boat. I mean, yeah,
unlike usual sailing boats, these boats are faster than the
wind speed so down when you have to sail at
sort of angles to the wind to continue the boat
(02:21):
on the foils, and obviously up on that is the
same as well. But yeah, they they are very tricky
technical boats. There's a lot going on with the foils.
And we have also a wand what we call which
sticks out the very front of the boat and that
effectively hits the water and pretty much controls how high
(02:42):
out of the water you fail the boat on the
on the on the foils.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yeah, so it was home conditions obviously for you. How
helpful was that being used to what you were facing
at the wheel Champs?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Yeah, for sure. I mean it's a big advantage definitely
to have home waters. You know, it makes it it
makes it a little bit easier when you're when you're
sailing against you know, such such a goods and yeah,
it was it was definitely helpful for us.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah, So across the event, as I said at the top,
you were you were pretty dominant you let from start
to finish? Was that? I guess it's always the plan,
but were you pleasantly surprised that that it went so
well for you right from the start? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
I think so. I mean again, I sort of I
sort of thought that it definitely helped me to have windy,
windy breeze to start the event, because as as I said,
in previous days, you know, like a lot of these
top sailors didn't have as much time in the boats
as what as what we as what I sort of
(03:44):
had this past year. So it was definitely an advantage
for for for me to get that extra time over
them and then have windy conditions. Because in windy conditions
what we call boat handling, so how you handle the
boat and do maneuvers so tacks through the wind and
then gibes down one can be quite difficult when it's
windy like that. So having extra time in the boat
(04:06):
makes it makes it quite a lot, quite a lot
of an advantage, makes it a bit easier when you
get that time and hours up. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Absolutely, so nine qualifying races and then eight gold fleet racers,
all going very well on the qualifying races. But I
understand a hit of the gold Fleet races, you suffered
some damage to your boat.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Can you tell us about that?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Yeah, So I hit an object in the water when
I was out practicing before one of the starts, and
I was out sort of thirty minutes before the first
race of the of the gold Fleet, and you hit
the object, managed to break the front floor, so the
main foil and then the rudder force the one that
(04:45):
you steal with as well, and also managed to rip
what's called the gantry which the rudderfoil connects on, to
rip a big hole straight through that. So yeah, I
managed to get what did your hat, I actually hit
a shark in the water. I hit a shark, So yeah,
(05:06):
not so good. Not so good obviously, But yeah, we
managed to get the bow back to shore and change
a couple of stuff, and with the help of the
help of a couple of my support support members, my
family members, Yeah, managed to get the boat back on
the water for race too.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Yeah that's because that sounds significant, that damage. Did you
think to yourself when it happened and you were surveying
it and you're taking it back to sure that that
might be it, You might be done for the regatta?
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Yes, to be honest, I did exactly. Yeah, I thought
my regatta was pretty much over. So I was pretty
worried at that point, and yeah, pretty much only managed
to just make it out to the second race as well,
with probably like four minutes before the second race actually started,
which isn't a lot of time, but yeah, I was
just fortunate to make it back out.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So if you hadn't made it for the second race,
because can you drop one? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Is that how it works?
Speaker 4 (05:57):
So it depends on the number of races that you
actually complete for the serious. So we managed to end
up completing seventeen races for the serious, so we ended
up getting to drop through. So usually in a series,
after six races you get to drop one, and then
after eleven races you drop two, and then after like
fifteen races you'll drop three. Yeah, so definitely not ideal
(06:19):
to have a to have a missed race, but yeah, yeah,
it allows you to have a bit of damage or
something like that and back out.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Is hitting sharks common?
Speaker 4 (06:28):
No, it's not very common at all. That was it
was not It's not common at all. Man.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
How much of an influence has your dad been on you?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
I think a lot. I think I I think my
dad and actually, well my whole family for sure, but
I always sort of say my dad and actually my
brother was a big influence for me growing up.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
My brother.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I've said it before. He actually because Dad was away
a lot overseas, you know, obviously a big idol and
you know, but yeah, my brother was there the whole
time when I was growing up, and yeah, he pretty
much made me I always stead of say not as
much of a not as much as a wimp for
something I would have been so, which is pretty useful.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
That's the job of a big brother does to make
sure the younger brothers are not WIMPs.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
It's part of the job, part of the job.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Did you I mean, it seems obvious in your family
with your dad, Sir Russell Coots, that you would go
into sailing, did it? But did you ever feel any
pressure to do so?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
No?
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Not really, not really. I mean, obviously there's there's some
things that are a little bit different in that situation,
but no, not so much.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Do you ever feel any pressure from the surname?
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Nah, a little bit. I mean it just depends on times,
you know, it does attract a bit more attention, but no,
not too much, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
You're still got to sael well though, no matter what
your name is, you're still got to get out there
and sail. So I get I'd see that the next month.
World Championship comes around pretty quickly. It's in Italy in
the middle of this year, So are you going to
be able to defend.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
I'm I'm hoping to Yeah, Italy. It would be great,
you know because yeah, as you said, such a short
period because they always change it between the northern Hemisphere
and the summer Southern Hemisphere each year, so that's why
you sometimes get it so close together like that, only
a six month period, And yeah, Italy is going to
be great. You know, we'll have sort of a round.
(08:26):
I think there's a cap number of boats of three
hundred boats. So last World Championships they had there and
I believe it was twenty twenty one, they had two
hundred and fifty boats, and I think they're expecting somewhere
similar to that this coming time. Maybe turned into sixty
t seventy competitive boats. Well, yeah, competitive boats. But since
the moth classes is such an evolving changing class, there
(08:50):
are differences in boats, but the newer boats are generally faster.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
So yeah, incredible.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
And what conditions will you face over there? Will they
have you been able to get engauge, whether they'll be
similar to here? I mean, you won't have the familiarity
with it, but any idea what the conditions will be like?
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Yeah, I mean I've been lucky to say there a
couple of times, so I do have a little bit
of a gauge on what the conditions will be like. Ten.
You tend to have quite a light afternoon bruise, but
quite a windy morning bruise. So it depends on whether
or not they say in the morning or the afternoon.
Such a cool place to say, though.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
It's amazing, And the forty nine er is your other
focus over the next little while. Tell us about what
lies ahead of you in the forty nine er.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Yeah, for sure. At the moment, I'm actually trying to
find a new partner for the forty niner class because
it's a two person boat. And but once I do that,
i'll be I'll be back into training for that, and yeah,
training towards the twenty twenty eight Olympics for me. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yeah, that's so, that's that's the that's the goal that
sits there at the moment.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Oh, yes, for sure.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Are you are you? Are you ambitious?
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Ambushious? Yeah? Yeah, I'm definitely ambitious, I think, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Yep, have you have you been on one of these
their fifties.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
I haven't. I haven't been on one of these their fifties.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
No, when you're watching from the shore, you must think, man,
I'd like to give that a crack.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Oh for sure, for sure. I think I think any
of us sailors you know, would love to give it
a crack. For sure. It's amazing, so cool to have
it and in our home home city as well. Fantastic,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Just it is a miteas congratulations on being a world champion.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
All the best.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Defending in the middle of the year in Italy and
for what lies ahead the road to la in twenty
twenty eight. I hope that works out well where you
find a partner first of all, and give that a
decent crack. Thanks for popping in for a chat for sure,
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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