America's Cup: Dean Barker named skipper of Japanese team

Dean Barker.

Former Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker has not ruled out the possibility of further Kiwis being involved in his Team Japan challenge.

Barker was today named as skipper and chief executive of the new Japanese team, which only announced their challenge earlier this month. He now has just two months to put together his sailing team before the first world series event in Portsmouth.

"There's not a lot of time and we're starting late in the game so it's going to be very challenging," Barker told the Herald from Bermuda, where he has been meeting with America's Cup officials along with the team's general manager Kazuhiko "Fuku" Sofuku.

Barker said the intention is to have a "Japanese influence" on the team and trials will be held in Japan over the next month to assess the local sailing talent. Asked if he had approached any Kiwi sailors to be involved with the challenge, Barker said:

"We're still in the process of looking how it all comes together.

"I think we have to look at the specific roles we need to fill, I certainly won't discount anyone. We need to put together a very efficient and lean group to operate within the parameters we've got so we definitely need a good blend of experience with some new blood as well."

Barker parted ways with Team NZ in March after he rejected an offer to take on a coaching and performance analyst role following a restructure of the team. He maintained at the time he was not done with sailing and when Team Japan offered Barker the opportunity to return to a role on the boat, and also take a lead in the running of the campaign, he leapt at the chance.

"Obviously I was available and it was a fantastic opportunity to do something different," said Barker.

"It's very different to what I've done in the past but it's a great challenge and something I'm looking forward to."