Yachting: Barker's right up with all the play on water

By Suzanne McFadden

He has never raced in the America's Cup, but Dean Barker is the sailor-of-the-moment.

Team New Zealand's back-up helmsman is getting kudos for tuning up Black Magic skipper Russell Coutts for the battle with the Italians.

At 26, Barker has a resume not unlike that of his boss at the same age. Since becoming a world youth champion 10 years ago, Barker has scaled the heights of the world matchracing ladder - reaching No 4 on the list early last year.

He already has the scalps of the world's best skippers, winning the Australia Cup two years ago in his first year on the circuit.

Like Coutts, he came through the dinghy ranks - making the top 10 in the world in Lasers, and narrowly missing the 1996 Olympic spot in the Finns to fellow Team New Zealand sailor Craig Monk.