Barker plans to aid Spithill’s Team USA
‘ The intention would be, yeah, to do some sailing [with Oracle] and carry on with the development process.’ DEAN BARKER
DEAN Barker wants to continue as an America’s Cup skipper and his first job will be to help Oracle Team USA defend the Auld Mug.
Barker’s Team Japan lost a fourth straight race to Artemis Racing yesterday, allowing the Swedes to take the challengers semifinal 5-3 and advance to meet Team New Zealand in the final which starts today.
Barker, who has been involved in Cup racing since 1995 and was dumped by Team New Zealand for this cycle, confirmed his intentions to stay at the helm if possible as he digested another tough defeat on the back of his San Francisco meltdown four years ago.
‘‘I’ve always said I love racing and I’d like to keep racing. If there is an opportunity I will. But we will have to see what the future holds,’’ Barker said.
At 44, Barker is getting old in an increasingly younger sailors regatta as the Kiwis showed by replacing him with 26-year-old Olympics star Peter Burling.
Barker’s inability to close out leads will also be a concern moving forward. He was outfoxed by Sweden’s Nathan Outteridge yesterday, blowing a handy lead when he got squeezed in an awkward boundary turn on the third leg.
Team Japan have been heavily backed by Cup defenders Oracle who were eager to get Asian involvement in the Cup and helped set up Barker’s syndicate, helping them with design and development over the last two years in Bermuda.
Team Japan have essentially been Oracle’s sister ship. That will see Barker rush to help Oracle now, which will be a blow to the hopes of fellow defenders in a previously unheard of alliance by a challenger.
Oracle, who are enjoying two weeks off ahead of the June 18 start to the Cup match, are working on their boat by night and testing by day, and need partners to trial against. They get a two-hour period on the race course before GETTY IMAGES challenger racing.
‘‘We’ve had a great relationship with Oracle due to the fact that they provide us with their design and everything else,’’ Barker said.
‘‘The intention would be, yeah, to do some sailing [with Oracle] and carry on with the development process.’’
Barker also had a subtle dig at Team New Zealand, who are out of sync with their opposition in Bermuda in terms of moving the regatta forward, with the Kiwis looking at returning some traditions of the Cup if they can win and get the holding rights.
Barker wants to see Japan involved in the next cycle and sees the current route outlined by Oracle as the best way forward, involving an increased world series and retaining the catamaran design with a Cup cycle shortened to every two years.
‘‘We think this is the right direction for the America’s Cup and so do five of the [six] teams.
‘‘It would be great to see that play out, so any development we do now with the boat is going to be beneficial for the future,’’ Barker said.
Barker believed Team Japan had made their mark and he was happy with his decision to head them as chief executive and skipper in the wake of his Team New Zealand snub.
‘‘I’ve been very fortunate to be involved with some great people over the years. But history is history, you have to be able to move on.’’