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MORALE IS SKY-HIGH at SoftBank Team Japan’s Bermuda home, with the team celebrating
nailing its first and second race wins of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series.
In front of a daily crowd of tens of thousands on Chicago’s Navy Pier, the team sailed the black
AC45 sporting Otosan – the dog mascot of SoftBank Corp – through shifty winds to the best
results yet to stand on the podium, coming in third in the fleet of six. The two days of racing saw
conditions that caused Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team New Zealand to capsize.
The Japanese team started by stealing a third-place finish from Oracle Team USA. After
a disappointing sixth place in the next, SoftBank stormed off the start in the final race, leading
from first mark to the finish. Because of a
delaying lull in the wind, the win in Friday’s
substitute race became an official result so
now lying ahead of Groupama Team France
after Chicago, SoftBank Team Japan (STJ) is
5th with 259 points in the 35th Louis Vuitton
America’s Cup World Series.
“I think we had an much improved
performance upwind today – it’s one of the
things we’ve been focusing on. In general it
felt like we were passing boats all around the
course,” says STJ’s Kiwi Skipper Dean Barker,
43, who is competing in his sixth America’s
Cup and won the 2013 Louis Vuitton America’s
Cup Trials for Team New Zealand.
“It’s really nice to finally get a podium result
and two race wins. I think it gives all the guys,
not just here in Chicago but also in Bermuda, a
big lift. Everyone’s been working really hard to
get the team to this point. A year into it I think
the progress our team has made is fantastic and
I’m proud and thrilled at the result here.”