Olympic sailors Peter Burling (left) with Team NZ boss Grant Dalton and and Blair Tuke (right). Photo/file
Olympic sailors Peter Burling (left) with Team NZ boss Grant Dalton and and Blair Tuke (right). Photo/file
Tauranga sailor Peter Burling has this afternoon been announced as one of the two new helmsmen for Emirates Team New Zealand ahead of the next America's Cup.
Emirates Team New Zealand announced it had completed the restructuring process that came out of the team-wide review after San Francisco and 50people have signed on and will be working full time from Monday.
Wing trimmer in 2013 Glenn Ashby has been appointed Sailing Director and he and Peter Burling will take on helming duties.
Ashby is a multiple world and Australian champion in three multihull classes and Burling is current world Moth and, with Blair Tuke, 49er champion.
Read more about Burling in a special feature on him and his achievements here.
Dean Barker was involved in the review and restructuring process and Emirates Team New Zealand wants to retain his services as Performance Manager and Sailing Coach with a place on the executive committee.
In the review of Emirates Team New Zealand, the team clearly identified the need for such a role. It is a crucial position for the team and we have been discussing this as a possible option for Barker since last November.
In a statement released this afternoon, Emirates Team New Zealand said it recognised that Barker has significant experience and can make a valuable contribution. The role we have offered him would enable the team to capitalise on his skills.
Emirates Team New Zealand has now made a formal offer to Barker which he is still considering.
Until the review process was completed it would have been unfair to all involved, and therefore inappropriate, for Emirates Team New Zealand to comment on the various reports in the media over the last week. The review process is now complete.
London Olympic silver medalist Peter Burling at his old school at Welcome Bay Primary School. Photo/file
It should be noted that the announcement of Bermuda as the venue for the next America's Cup series had a serious impact on the team's finances and sponsorship funding, reducing the budget by some $20 million.
This meant the team has had to reduce its remuneration budget and each team member has, as a result, taken a significant pay cut.
Additionally several million dollars has been axed from the operations budget leading to the scrapping of one of the foiling AC45s that we had planned and, consequently, the elimination of one of the planned helmsman positions.
CEO Grant Dalton said: "As mentioned, the team has just activated its next stage of preparations and on Monday 50 staff begin the role of planning and construction for the upcoming race series.
"We're hoping to retain Dean's 20 years of America's Cup experience in Emirates Team New Zealand but we also acknowledge it is time for new blood to be given the chance at the helm of the country's challenger," Dalton said.
