Dean Barker has always been regarded as one of the fairest sailors in the America's Cup. And that's also how he shows himself in his most difficult hour. After 20 years of service for the two-time Cup winners from New Zealand, with whom he recently came so painfully close to victory, Barker had already learnt from the media last week - whether through an intentional or unintentional leak of information within the team - of his imminent replacement by the young Moth and 49er world champion Peter Burling. However, the team initially rowed back and denied it. But now it's official: "Deano" has lost his job as skipper, helmsman and sailing director, which he was contractually guaranteed last year. Barker described the offer to work in a different role as a "performance coach" as inappropriate in view of the original contract from 2014. Furthermore, no further discussions have taken place with him.
In a moving statement in a TV interview with New Zealand broadcaster 3News, Barker said: "I've given 20 years of my life to this team. That's about half my life. I'm deeply saddened by the way Team New Zealand and the management have handled this whole process. The most important thing for me and my whole family has always been to bring the America's Cup back home. Back where it belongs."
For Team New Zealand, the brutal cancellation of the previous collaboration with Dean Barker, who is popular in New Zealand, is tantamount to a PR disaster. Half of New Zealand is wondering how it is possible for one of the nation's heroes to be publicly dismantled in such a dramatic way. The debate immediately flared up again as to whether it still made sense to support this team with a considerable amount of taxpayers' money. Alongside helmsman Burling, sailing director Glenn Ashby is also being considered as Barker's successor.
Just how fair Barker is became clear towards the end of the interview, which he gave an hour after the announcement of his dismissal: "It doesn't matter what happens to me now: I still want Team New Zealand to bring the Cup home." Barker could not and did not want to say anything about his own future so soon after the decision. The man from Auckland did confirm that he had received many offers from other teams such as Alinghi and Luna Rossa in the past. At the same time, however, he said that he had always turned down all offers: "A change was never an option for me, I was always loyal. It was never about the money. For me, the America's Cup is my passion."
Whether Barker will accept another offer after all as a result of these events remains to be seen. In the land of the long white cloud, shadows now darken the New Zealand Cup sky for the time being. The effects of the brash and unskilful personnel policy on sponsors and supporters remain to be seen.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
