Yachting: America's Cup stars line up to do battle

By Suzanne McFadden

Ten America's Cup helmsmen will do battle in neutral boats in Auckland next month in one of the strongest international match-racing lineups to come to New Zealand.

Six of the seven skippers in the main fleet of the Steinlager-Line 7 regatta have America's Cup credentials - among them Kiwi legend Chris Dickson and finalist in the last two cup regattas Paul Cayard.

But the qualifying series is almost as strong.

World No 2, New Zealander Gavin Brady, is top seed in the main draw ahead of Englishman Chris Law, the world No 3, who skippered the Sydney 95 cup challenger.

Young America skipper Ed Baird and Cayard, skipper of America One, have also accepted.

Team New Zealand will be represented by promising young helmsman Dean Barker, runner-up last year, while cup veteran Dickson earned automatic entry by finishing second to Brady in the New Zealand championships.

Sweden's Magnus Holmberg is the only skipper in the line-up who hasn't had any ties with the Auld Mug.

Three skippers will qualify through the feeder series, which is brimming with yachting stars.

Among them are America True helmsman John Cutler, Prada skipper Francesco de Angelis of Italy, and 19-year-old star of the future James Spithill, who is being touted as the likely driver of Syd Fischer's Australian cup campaign.

John Kolius, the head of Hawaiian challenger Aloha Racing, is recovering from back surgery but may be a starter.

World No 1 Peter Gilmour and Team New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts, last year's winner, turned down invitations to sail.