Yachting: Barker making mark in world matchracing

Yesterday the America's Cup, today the Congressional Cup, tomorrow - the worlds?

Kiwi Dean Barker and his Team New Zealand crew were unbeatable when it mattered, winning 11 consecutive races over the last three days of the Congressional Cup at Long Beach, California, taking home $US6000 and the winner's crimson jacket.

Barker scored clean sweeps over Australia's Sebastien Destremau and then world No 1 Sten Mohr, of Denmark, in the windy finals.

Now the man Russell Coutts anointed as his successor goes into next month's world matchracing championship, the ACI Cup of Croatia, as a clear favourite.

Rivals there will include Mohr and French America's Cup skipper Bertrand Pace, who led most of the week but finished third.

Barker's victory followed a third place in the Steinlager/Line 7 Cup at Auckland and a second in the Australia Cup at Perth that boosted Barker to No 6.

His latest win not only proves that his one-race rocket to fame was no flash in the pan but that Coutts knew what he was doing when he handed Barker the helm for the clinching victory against Prada.

"We were a little slack at the Steinlager and Australia, coming right after the America's Cup," Barker said, "but we came here with a better attitude.

"The crew work was flawless. It gives you a lot of confidence that you can put the boat in any position and they'll come through."