Dean Barker - Team New Zealand, New Zealand

	Defending champion Team New Zealand's skipper, Dean Barker.

Q: How has your role at Team New Zealand changed since the last America’s Cup in 2000?

A: In the last Cup I was the back-up helmsman, so this time I have a lot more responsibility as skipper. It means looking after the sailing crew, going to design meetings, doing some public speaking. But now we are focusing on sailing, learning about our new boats and getting on with the job.

Q: Did you grow up in a sailing family?

A: We grew up by the water in Auckland. My dad, Ray, taught me to sail an Optimist dinghy when I was 10, sailing on Lake Pupuke. I went through all the dinghy classes – four years in P-Class, Laser (he was world youth champion), 470s and the Finn (he narrowly missed a place at the 1996 Olympics). My family have always supported me in my sailing, and they are my mentors.

Q: What is your favourite holiday spot in New Zealand?

A: It’s a bit of a mixture actually. I really enjoy a lot of the beaches on the East Coast of the North Island, especially around the Coromandel. I find them really relaxing. And I just love to go down the West Coast of the South Island – anywhere through the Haast Pass, Wanaka and Queenstown. The first time I discovered that part of New Zealand was at the beginning of 2001 – I suddenly realised what I’d been missing! When we took the team around New Zealand on the regional regattas this year, we went through there again and it was just magical. Each place is even better if it has a golf course!

Q: What is your favourite dining spot in Auckland?

A: There are just so many great restaurants throughout Auckland these days, it’s hard to single out just one. We normally eat in the Ponsonby area and I really enjoy Thai food, that’s my favourite.

Q: When you’re not sailing for work and pleasure, what other recreational activities do you enjoy?

A: Well, obviously golf. I play off a 13 handicap at the moment. And I love car racing. I race an Escort Mark I (circa 1970) but I haven’t been able to do much of that in the last couple of years because of the America’s Cup.