Dean Barker's Blog - Back into the racing
by Dean Barker on 20 Apr 2015
March 12, 2015. Practice Race in Auckland: Former America's Cup Skipper Dean Barker with Dongfeng Race Team Skipper Charles Caudrelier Marc Bow / Volvo Ocean Race
Writing on his blog at Kiwi Yachting Consultants' websites, of which he is a substantial shareholder and director, five times America's Cup helmsman Dean Barker gives his view on life since Team NZ.
This is my first blog for quite some time. In fact since September last year when I was still a part of Team NZ racing in Istanbul for the Extreme Sailing Series.
For the past two weeks I have been back doing what I love and that is racing. I was very fortunate to join a Russian RC44 team, Team Nika, to compete in the first event of the 2015 series. We raced in Malta which was the first time that I had been there, and a very interesting place.
It was very refreshing to get back out on the water having not raced the RC44's since 2009, and not really raced monohulls much since 2010. Certainly pretty rusty at times and the boats do not quite have the top end performance of the AC72's!!
The RC44 racing is broken up into two parts. Match racing on day 1, and then 4 days of fleet racing. We ended up tied for first (2nd on countback) in the match race, and then 2nd in the fleet race so in the end it was a satisfying way to start the series. As always it felt like we left a number of points out on the course, but I am sure everyone feels the same way.
Plenty of things to improve for the next event which is in June in Porto Cervo, and nice to be back out and enjoying some good racing again.
All for now
Dean
To see more of Dean Barker's blogs go to www.kiwiyachting.co.nz
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