Meet Team New Zealand's 'everywhere man' Rufus Henry

March 18, 2021

Rufus was taken on by the team and quickly found his groove.

Team New Zealand grinder Finn Henry’s younger brother Rufus was among the many colourful personalities winding down after a night of revelry following the syndicate's America's Cup triumph. 

“I'm so proud of him. I think he did so well being on the boat and got out there and, like, showed them who's boss,” Rufus said of Finn.

Rufus, who has Down syndrome, was taken on by the team as its “everywhere man”.

"I told them I'm around any time and let me know when you're ready and let me in,” he said.

He quickly found his groove.

"I got to drive the chase boat and Curly - he's my boss – said, 'Don't take it easy on the throttle,’ so I just went straight down on the throttle and Curly said, "Is that all you've got?”

Finn says of his brother, “You couldn't find a more supportive human being," 

He said the team “loved having him around and they really embraced him and obviously, as one of his brothers, that’s a dream come true”.

The feeling was mutual, with Rufus saying, “I love Finn ‘cause when he went out on the boat, I said to him, ‘Keep going, keep going’”.

"The whole Team Emirates New Zealand is like my other family now. I just love working there really, yeah.”

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