Please select your home edition
Edition
Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 LEADERBOARD

Dean Barker to sail against Emirates Team New Zealand - Updated

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com on 22 May 2015
Dean Barker pictured in San Francisco, now with SoftBank Team Japan ACEA / Photo Abner Kingman http://photo.americascup.com
The new Japanese Challenger for the America's Cup, SoftBank Team Japan has announced that it has signed Dean Barker, who has been appointed skipper and CEO of the Japanese team.

The statement from the team notes that Barker brings over 15 years of America’s Cup experience to the Japanese team, including having sailed in four America’s Cup Matches.

“This is an incredible opportunity to build a new team from the ground up,” Barker said from Bermuda where he and team general manager Kazuhiko “Fuku” Sofuku have been meeting with America’s Cup officials.

“It’s an honour to take on the responsibility of both CEO and skipper of SoftBank Team Japan.

“We’re filling the key roles on the team as quickly as we can. I think we’re pulling together a very strong team. We want to compete at the head of the fleet and we’re assembling a team that is capable of doing that. Our goal is to win the America’s Cup.”

SoftBank Team Japan was confirmed as a challenger earlier this month. The team has a big job list ahead as it prepares to race at the first America’s Cup World Series event in Portsmouth in July.

“In the short term, our job is to be ready to compete in Portsmouth,” said Fuku. “Then, our focus will shift to trialling more Japanese sailors as we continue to build and develop our team.”


Barker split with Emirates Team New Zealand earlier this year after he was offered the role of Performance Director, a role he believed was largely an off the water one. He had expressed a clear wish to continue helming for the 35th America's Cup.

He will compete in July in Portsmouth in the AC45F class - a one design version of the AC45 class, fitted with one design, supplied foils. It is not announced as to who will make up the crew, whether it will be Japanese (only one crew member of the club's country is required), or if he will pick up Australians from Oracle Team USA, or trigger an exodus from Emirates Team New Zealand.

Barker's presence on the water competing against his old team, will add some vital needle to a competition which, with the exception of Emirates Team New Zealand, has become very chummy with the Defender working with and supporting many of the Challengers. The tradition of the event is for the Defender to first come up against the successful Challenger in the Match itself.


In taking the role of skipper and CEO Barker becomes one of several people involved in the 35th America's Cup who will be both CEO and sailing on the boat either as a helmsman or tactician. Barker's former boss Grant Dalton was widely criticized for running the same double act in the previous Cup.

With the first event in the America's Cup World Series scheduled for Portsmouth, England, on July 23, Barker has some options regarding crew. In the short-term the Defender may provide some of their mostly Australian crew, and recently engaged Tom Johnson from the Volvo Ocean Racer Team Vestas Wind. Other options are to pick up English speaking crew from Luna Rossa who were released when the Italians shut up shop after the America's Cup class was changed by majority vote of first time Challengers and the Defender. Another option is Emirates Team NZ crew who have not been re-signed after the team announced a scaled down program earlier this year, which triggered Barker's departure from the team.


SoftBank Team Japan have said that they will hold trials for Japanese sailors to join the team. Red Bull pre-empted this exercise earlier in 2015 holding a series of races to rank young Japanese sailors sailing foiling catamarans. Top New Zealand youth sailor Leonard Takahashi-Fry, who holds a dual passport for New Zealand and Japan, finished third in this event after nosediving at 32kts in the semi-finals.

Barker, along with Oracle Team USA's Jimmy Spithill are equal second in terms of America's Cup races won with both having 11 each on their scorecard.

To see Dean Barker's interview with Paul Henry on the Paul Henry Morning Show on TV3 click here

Dean Barker's record in the America’s Cup

1995 - trains with Team New Zealand
2000 - America’s Cup winner with Team New Zealand, helming the deciding race
2003 - skipper, unsuccessful defence of America’s Cup with Team New Zealand
2007 - skipper, winner, Louis Vuitton Cup
2013 - skipper, winner, Louis Vuitton Cup



sMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZVetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTER

Related Articles

Hamilton Island Race Week Accommodation Deals
Our most popular race week properties available now at reduced rates Hamilton Island Race Week is fast approaching and if you're quick, we have some prime race week viewing spots available where you can watch some of the world's best racing yachts sail by and be close to all the celebrations.
Posted on 6 Jun
49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Europeans Day 4
Bergmann with Wille keep their nerve to move into FX lead Olympic veterans in the 49erFX Marla Bergmann with Hanna Wille (GER) kept their nerve and used their speed to move into the lead, scoring the fewest points on day 4.
Posted on 6 Jun
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Day 4
Hutchinson adding the missing element as American Magic Quantum Racing close in on title Now holding a 13-points lead after today's two races contested at the Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup, American Magic Quantum Racing crew are on the cusp of completing their first 52 SUPER SERIES regatta win since victory in Barcelona in September 2022.
Posted on 6 Jun
Rooster Sailing's 2025 Collection Just Dropped
From the redesigned Technical Shorts to the all-new SB2 Deck Trainers From the redesigned Technical Shorts to the all-new SB2 Deck Trainers, the 2025 collection has been developed with real sailors, for real conditions.
Posted on 6 Jun
Expanding horizons with West System Epoxy
Working on D-Class boats over the years sparked Jonathan Minnebo's love of sailing Returning to his roots, Jonathan Minnebo has broadened his sights from solely shipwright work to creating bespoke furniture and staircase design and installation.
Posted on 6 Jun
2025 Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis, USA Day 2
Final four skippers emerge from a competitive qualifying double-round robin stage A thrilling second day of racing at the 2025 Santa Maria Cup saw the final four skippers emerge from a competitive qualifying double-round robin stage.
Posted on 6 Jun
SailGP to Kick Off Summer in New York
With this Weekend's Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix An unforgettable weekend of high-speed, close-to-shore racing and world-class entertainment will take place this weekend when the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix takes place in front of the most famous skyline in the world.
Posted on 5 Jun
Scandinavian Gold Cup at Sopot, Poland Day 1
A slow start with very little wind The Scandinavian Gold Cup opened Thursday in Sopot, Poland, with seven 5.5 Metres competing for this historic and iconic trophy that dates back to 1922. Unfortunately, there was not enough wind to even complete one race.
Posted on 5 Jun
49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Europeans Day 3
A six-hour bake on the water Veteran and multi-Olympic race officer Sulis was clear at the morning briefing, "Our priority is to get three races for the 49er so they can progress to the gold fleet."
Posted on 5 Jun
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Day 3
Platoon Aviation turn up the heat but don't dent American Magic Quantum Racing's lead After a disappointing first regatta of the season when they finished in an uncharacteristic last position in Saint-Tropez, the fortunes of the German flagged 2023 52 SUPER SERIES overall champions Platoon Aviation seem to have turned for the better.
Posted on 5 Jun