Dean Barker has made his first big signing with Team Japan, with former Luna Rossa helmsman Chris Draper joining the new syndicate for the next America's Cup.
Draper, an Olympic medalist, multiple European and world champion, will take up the role of sailing director of the syndicate and join Barker on board in a tactics/wing trimmer position.
The British sailor was left without an America's Cup syndicate when Luna Rossa withdrew from the next event after rejecting changes to the design rule pushed through by organisers earlier this year.
"The opportunity to join a new team and build it from scratch is very exciting," the Draper said.
"Dean and I spent a lot of time racing against each other in New Zealand during the build up to the last America's Cup and developed a mutual respect for each other. When Dean approached me with an offer to join this team it was clear this was a unique opportunity to build something new."