Brady outguns old master Dickson

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Chris Dickson did not realise how much Gavin Brady was listening when he taught him the nuances of matchracing. Maybe he taught him too much.

Yesterday he found out - Brady, now ranked third in the world, beat the old master on the Waitemata Harbour for the New Zealand matchracing title.

Dickson, three times world champion, took a teenage Brady under his wing on board NZL39 in the 1995 America's Cup.

But Brady showed little respect on the water for his former boss, beating him 2-0 in the final after Dickson had gone through 20 races unbeaten.

Dickson paid the highest praise to Brady, now sailing for the America True America's Cup syndicate.

"Over the years, looking at the youngsters who stood out in New Zealand yachting, Russell Coutts and Gavin Brady are the only ones who I have found to be top competitors later on," he said. "Gav doesn't need my help anymore. He will go a very long way."

There was mutual back-patting from Brady.

"The most exciting thing for me about doing this regatta was sailing against Chris. He was the only legend I hadn't raced against before.

"While we were racing today he would look over at me and grin. We had constant eye contact."

Brady, third at last month's world champs in Japan, sneaked past Dickson at the finish line in their first race as Dickson's crew carried out a penalty turn.

In the second, Dickson was caught in the wrong again, and Brady's lead was safe throughout the race.

Brady described the regatta as one of the toughest he had sailed, working with a new crew in a fleet which included four America's Cup teams.

Among his crew was American Katie Pettibone, a trimmer who sailed in the women's EF crew in the round-the-world race.

"She brought something unique to the team this week," he said. "She's great at knowing her strengths and staying with them - not trying to overdo it like guys do. She was brilliant."

Aucklander Dean Salthouse, who has been helping out the Young America Cup team, outsailed Italian Prade skipper Francesco de Angelis 2-1 in the sail-off for third.

Meanwhile, the America One Cup training boat has arrived in Auckland, but with no one to sail her.

Paul Cayard's crew will not arrive until January, but their boat, the 1995 One Australia that did not sink, was shipped in on Saturday.

The boat will sit at the America One base in the Cup village until her crew arrive. America One plan to build two new boats in California.