Penalty costly for Barker in final
New Zealand sailor Dean Barker has lost the final of the Congressional Cup in controversial circumstances.
Barker lost 3-1 to American Taylor Canfield with the silverware on the line at Long Beach on California yesterday.
Barker had been the form skipper all regatta as he led American Magic, the team from America’s Cup challengers New York Yacht Club, into the title match.
But he was quickly 2-1 down and facing match point in a mustwin fourth race against Canfield.
Barker did everything asked of him when he won the start and got himself into a dominant position.
But just as quickly he got too aggressive and incurred penalty halfway up the opening leg.
With his sailing boss Terry Hutchinson calling tactics, Barker couldn’t complete a tack and didn’t give his opponent enough room, with Canfield instantly calling for a penalty and winning the umpire’s decision.
Needing to clear a penalty turn, Barker was in trouble in the close racing as Canfield shadowed him all over the course. a
Barker eventually chose to do his penalty at the final top mark but that only allowed Canfield to come through with his spinnaker raised first and the American held that lead to the finish line.
Barker had won 16 of 18 races in the round-robin and then beat Australian Sam Gilmour 3-1 in the semifinal.
The Congressional Cup helped pioneer match-racing and remains one of the world’s premier events in this category.
Barker had won the Ficker Cup last week to qualify for the Congressional Cup as American Magic look to polish their team work.
Barker has yet to be confirmed by the NYYC as their helmsman for the next America’s Cup to be sailed in Auckland in 2021.