Sailing millionaire Russell Coutts
America's Cup winner and current defender Russell Coutts is by far the highest-paid athlete in New Zealand
With 13.4 million New Zealand dollars, equivalent to 8.6 million euros, the Taranaki Daily News the 2012 annual salary of Russell Coutts. With this alleged salary, the 50-year-old boss of Cup defencemen Oracle Team USA clearly tops the list of New Zealand's best-paid athletes.
Football star Ryan Nelson follows in second place with "only" 5.2 million New Zealand dollars, while boxer and rugby player Sonny Bill Willams ranks third with 2.5 million.
Only the direct salaries of athletes are taken into account.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
