Barker win gives timely boost

By JULIE ASH

Team New Zealand syndicate head Tom Schnackenberg is confident his team are on track to defend the America's Cup in seven months' time.

Their new boats are under construction and the team's defence was given a further boost yesterday when skipper Dean Barker beat his former boss Russell Coutts, now with rival syndicate Alinghi, 3-0 in the Swedish Match Cup, the final event of the Swedish Match Tour, in Marstrand.

The event was Barker's last international match racing event before the cup defence in February. Schnackenberg said the win was an excellent way to finish what had been a fruitful international stint for many of the Team New Zealand crew.

Along with Barker's win, Bertrand Pace also reached the semifinals of the Swedish event, following up his second place in the Cronet Cup in Croatia, and the third Team NZ helmsman, Cameron Appleton, finished fourth in the Blurimini Cup in Italy and the Amer Sports Cup in Finland.

"It is fantastic, it caps off what has been a successful little phase for us," said Schnackenberg.

"But the America's Cup is about the whole team getting out there with a fast boat."

Schnackenberg said the first of Team New Zealand's new boats was expected to be completed late next month.

"We are on track, we have a long way to go but we know what we have to do to defend the America's Cup."

Barker's win in Sweden follows his victory over Coutts in the final of the Omega Seamaster Cup in Italy last month.

"Russell is the yardstick when it comes to matchracing," Barker said.

"In a lot of people's minds, he is seen as the best in the world. To beat him in two successive finals is obviously a huge psychological boost for us."

Despite the acrimony over Coutts' departure from Team New Zealand after the defence of the cup in 2000, Barker said there was no drama between the sailors. "There's no friction between our crews. It is all in good spirits. We just like racing."

Barker's crew - Hamish Pepper, James Dagg, Tony Rae and Chris Ward - sailed 20 races in Marstrand and lost only four.

The win is Barker's first on the Swedish tour. He finished second at last July's Roberto Trombini Cup in Italy, ninth in March's Steinlager Line 7 Cup in Auckland and eighth in April's Congressional Cup in Long Beach, California.

Barker ended the tour sixth, picking up US$15,000 ($30,600) prize money. Pace was eighth, receiving US$10,000.

The overall title went to Oracle Racing's Peter Holmberg.

Barker was to compete in the UBS Challenge in Rhode Island - the second event in the 2002-2003 tour - at the end of the month but has decided to stay at home.

"We figure it's time to focus on the cup now," he said.

* The project manager of the Swedish America's Cup syndicate Victory Challenge has been sentenced to eight months in jail for gross tax evasion.

According to a report on the syndicate's website, Mats Johansson told the syndicate of the case a month ago, expecting to be acquitted, or, at worst, receive a suspended sentence. The case concerned capital gains on boats Johansson sold privately.

Johansson is expected to appeal against the sentence and Victory Challenge intends to keep him on until the result of any appeal is known.