America’s Cup: Departing Kiwi skipper disputes Team NZ statement

Auckland, NZL (March 11, 2015) – Departing America’s Cup skipper Dean Barker says Team New Zealand is trying to “rewrite history” with their version of his split from the team. And the ousted skipper is weighing up a move to another America’s Cup syndicate.

The Kiwi team yesterday said Barker had rejected a coaching position offered, ending his 20-year career with Team NZ.

Accompanying the press release announcing Barker’s departure was a series of bullet points aimed at setting “the record straight” on some of the discussion in the media after leaked reports the long-serving skipper was set to be replaced.

Responding to the “rumour and innuendo” that team boss Grant Dalton was the source of the leak, Team NZ said the board had conducted an investigation and was “totally satisfied that Grant Dalton was not involved in any way” and “no member of the board or management leaked any information”.

The team also said it was “incorrect that Dean first heard of his possible change of role through social media and the decision via press release”.

Barker told the NZ Herald he had a very different view to Team NZ on what happened.

“I’m disappointed with the contents of the statement,” he said. “It is nothing less than an attempt to re-write history. I stand by what I have said previously.”

Asked which points of the statement he was unhappy with, Barker replied: “Put it this way, the only parts I agree with are the first line and the last line.”

Editor’s note: Much more to this report, including how writer Dana Johannsen analyzes what the team has said and what Barker contends. Click here.