Cup qualifiers decided by narrowest of margins

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Bertrand Pace has had his hand forced in his defence of yachting's Steinlager Line 7 Cup.

As top qualifier, the Frenchman-turned-New Zealander must this morning decide which of the other three semifinal qualifiers he will race.

But his Team New Zealand boss, Dean Barker, will not be in those calculations after the world No 1 failed by the barest margin to make the top four after an action-packed day's racing yesterday.

After a round-robin series which went right to the wire, Pace emerged on top on a countback from Gavin Brady.

In a three-way battle for the remaining two spots, Magnus Holmberg edged Pace's Team New Zealand team-mate, Cameron Appleton and Barker missed out.

But for his one-second loss to Brady in his previous outing, former double winner Rod Davis could also have been in the countback with 14 wins.

Stepping ashore after beating three-time winner Chris Dickson in the last of his 22 round-robin matches, Pace said he had hoped he would not have to choose his semifinal opponent.

"It is too difficult. There are too many good crews here," he said. '

It was again difficult for the 12 skippers as the four days of often-tense round-robin racing went to the last of 28 flights before the four survivors were found.

"We had a good day," said Pace after he and his crew of Peter Evans, Jarrod Henderson, Grant Loretz and Chris Salthouse had won four of their six races yesterday.

"It was a good day, but tomorrow is a bigger one. The conditions were again patchy with a lot of wind shifts. We are getting better and better, but are not yet perfect."

Pace's English is also improving. This makes communication with his New Zealand crew easier.

"They are very good, friendly and enthusiastic which is very important,' he said.

"We did the nationals together at the beginning of summer and have been working on our communication since."

Pace will be hoping recent history does not repeat itself.

At the national match-racing championships, Pace led after the round-robin, opted to sail against Rod Davis in the semifinals, lost and eventually finished third, beating Appleton in that sail-off.

With Appleton and Barker watching the last round from Hobson wharf, Brady did them a favour when he came from behind to snatch victory.

Jesper Radich, too, played his part in keeping Team New Zealand hopes alive with his all-the-way win over Holmberg.

But when the calculators had stopped whirring, Appleton - beaten in last year's final by Pace - lived on. Barker did not.

The best-of-three semifinals this morning will be followed by the final in a best-of-five series.

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