Skipper Barker vows to stay loyal to Team NZ after defence

By HELEN TUNNAH

Skipper Dean Barker has pledged his long-term loyalty to Team New Zealand, saying he will not quit the America's Cup holders for an overseas team.

Barker, 29, said he had already told his crew and Team New Zealand's board of directors that he would stay with them if they won the America's Cup against Team Alinghi next month.

Barker said that while he did not want to think about losing, if that happened Team New Zealand might try to overcome stiff financial odds to put together another challenge.

He could not imagine sailing for another team.

"I've already given a commitment to the board and the other guys that I don't want to go and work for any other team," he told the Herald.

"I love everything about this team.

"We like to think we represent all of New Zealand. We have some very high values and we want to keep the cup here.

"It means a lot to New Zealand, and we really want to keep that whole thing going."

Barker has already shunned lucrative offers to quit Team New Zealand.

Three years ago he was thrown into the international limelight when his former skipper, Russell Coutts, handed him the helm for Team New Zealand's cup-clinching win over Italian challenger Prada, immediately making him a target for rivals.

He reportedly received seven-figure salary offers but turned them down to accept Tom Schnackenberg's invitation to lead the sailing team after Coutts and other key crew left for billionaire-backed teams overseas.

Coutts will skipper Team Alinghi of Switzerland against Barker and Team New Zealand in next month's America's Cup match on the Hauraki Gulf.

Team New Zealand's management have confidential plans under way to fend off poaching raids after the cup.

Although it is not known when team members' contracts end, with most syndicates it is just days or weeks after their campaigns finish.

Chief executive Ross Blackman said the team would not sit by and watch their talent leave.

"Most definitely the management of Team New Zealand will be doing everything they possibly can to ensure that continuity is in place for next time."

Barker said the loss of Coutts and other key crew had been a "huge bombshell" three years ago and, after all the work rebuilding, a win over Alinghi would be special.

The team were not contemplating losing, but he hoped to explore the options for a fresh challenge if that happened.



"My first reaction would be I'd like to think that this team could continue," Barker said.

"The tough thing would be to raise enough money to go and challenge for the cup offshore, it would be incredibly hard.

"But we're not focusing on the negatives."

It has been suggested the syndicate may collapse if the cup goes to Europe because of the high costs of mounting a challenge, given the money invested by billionaires such as Alinghi syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli and the comparative weakness of the New Zealand dollar against the euro.

Alinghi have spent about $130 million on their cup campaign. Team New Zealand's budget is estimated to be about $80 million.

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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