Kevin Shoebridge is a New Zealand

sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. While the term ''sailor'' ...

who has competed in multiple

Volvo Ocean Race The Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three or four years since 1973. Originally named the Whitbread Round the World Race after its initiating sponsor, British brewing company Whitbread, in 2001 it became the Volvo Ocean Rac ...

s and

America's Cup The America's Cup is a sailing competition and the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one from the yacht club that currently holds the trophy (known ...

s. In the 1985–86 Whitbread Round the World Race, Shoebridge sailed on board ''Lion New Zealand''. In 1987, Shoebridge joined the

New Zealand Challenge New Zealand Challenge was a sailing team funded by Michael Fay that challenged for the America's Cup three times between 1987 and 1992. New Zealand Challenge was the first team from New Zealand to enter the competition. 1987: KZ 7 ''Kiwi Magic' ...

for the

and sailed on board '' KZ 7'' in the

1987 Louis Vuitton Cup The 2nd Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1987. The winner, Stars & Stripes, went on to challenge for and win the 1987 America's Cup. Teams Twelve syndicates from six countries (Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, ...

. He then returned to sail the 1989–90 Whitbread Round the World Race as a watch leader, on eventual winner ''

Steinlager 2 ''Steinlager 2'' is a Bruce Farr-designed yacht. Skippered by Peter Blake, she won the 1989–90 Whitbread Round the World Race and line honours in the 1989 Fastnet Race. She was the only yacht to ever win all six legs of the Whitbread Round ...

'', before winning the 1993–94 Whitbread Round the World Race on '' NZ Endeavour''. Shoebridge then joined

Team New Zealand Team New Zealand or TNZ is a Sailing (sport), sailing team based in Auckland, New Zealand, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. The team has been branded as Emirates (airline), Emirates Team New Zealand at America's Cup competiti ...

and was part of the crew on ''

NZL 32 ''NZL 32'', or ''Black Magic'', is an International Americas Cup Class yacht which won the 1995 America's Cup by defeating the American defender ''Young America'' in a 5–0 victory off San Diego, California. Design ''NZL 32'' was, in many wa ...

'' when it won the

1995 America's Cup The 29th America's Cup was contested between the winner of the 1995 Citizen Cup, Stars & Stripes (America's Cup syndicate), Team Stars & Stripes, which switched to the yacht Young America (1994 yacht), ''Young America'' (USA 36) for the competit ...

. He later sailed in the 1997–98 Whitbread Round the World Race as a watch captain on ''

Merit Cup ''Merit Cup'' is a yacht. She finished second in the 1997–98 Whitbread Round the World Race skippered by Grant Dalton. Career ''Merit Cup'' was designed by Bruce Farr Bruce Kenneth Farr (born 1949 in Auckland) is a New Zealand designer of r ...

''. He skippered ''

Team Tyco ''Team Tyco'' is a Bermudian Volvo Ocean 60 yacht, designed by Farr Yacht Design in 2000, and built by Eric Goetz Custom Sailboats in Rhode Island. She competed in the 2001–02 Volvo Ocean Race and finished fourth overall, skippered by Kevin ...

'' in the

2000 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race The 2000 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, sponsored by Telstra, was the 56th annual running of the "blue water classic" Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. As in past editions of the race, it was hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia based in Sy ...

and the 2001–02 Volvo Ocean Race, placing fourth in both races. He joined America's OneWorld challenge in the

2003 Louis Vuitton Cup The 6th Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2003. The winner, Alinghi, went on to challenge for and win the 2003 America's Cup. Teams The Yacht Club Punta Ala was the challenger of record. Alinghi Founded by Swiss business ...

as a trimmer before rejoining

for the

2007 America's Cup The 2007 America's Cup was the thirty-second challenge for the America's Cup and was won by Alinghi in the 7th race. The Cup is the most famous and most prestigious regatta and '' Match Race'' in the sport of sailing. As per the Deed of Gift ...

as the sailing and operations manager. He served as Chief Operating Officer for ''

Camper Lifelovers ''Camper Lifelovers'' is a Volvo Open 70 yacht. She finished second in the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race skippered by Chris Nicholson. Career The Emirates Team New Zealand design team joined with Camper sports company of Spain to develop and ...

'' in the 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race. He was later appointed as Team New Zealand's Chief Operating Officer for their successful

2017 America's Cup The 2017 America's Cup was the 35th staging of the America's Cup yacht race. The challenger, Emirates Team New Zealand, won by a score of 7 to 1 over the defender, Oracle Team USA. It was held on the Great Sound in Bermuda from June 17 to June 2 ...

challenge. Shoebridge remained as the COO of

Emirates Team New Zealand Team New Zealand or TNZ is a sailing team based in Auckland, New Zealand, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. The team has been branded as Emirates Team New Zealand at America's Cup competitions since 2007. Team New Zealand be ...

for the successful defense of the 2021 36th America's Cup, in Auckland, New Zealand.

References

Living people New Zealand male sailors (sport) Team New Zealand sailors Volvo Ocean Race sailors Volvo Ocean 60 class sailors 2003 America's Cup sailors 1995 America's Cup sailors 1987 America's Cup sailors 1992 America's Cup sailors Year of birth missing (living people) {{NewZealand-yachtracing-bio-stub