Barker, Pac to Vie for First in Regatta

Dean Barker, who drove Team New Zealand’s boat to the clinching victory in the America’s Cup last month, will sail against France’s Bertrand Pac today for sole possession of first place at the midpoint of the 36th Congressional Cup at Long Beach.

Barker, 26, won all three of his races Tuesday, one a come-from-behind 12-second victory over Denmark’s Sten Mohr, the top-ranked match-racing sailor in the world. Winds were a relatively light five to 10 knots.

Australia’s 20-year-old James Spithill brought Pac back to the pack with a two-second win in the first race Tuesday.

Pac and Barker stand at 6-2, Mohr at 5-3, followed by four rivals at 4-4.

The two American entries, two-time defending champion Peter Holmberg of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Scott Dickson of the host Long Beach Yacht Club, slipped to 3-5 after losing two of three races. Dickson lost to Mohr by a second after doing a penalty turn at the finish line.