By SUZANNE McFADDEN
Young Team New Zealand helmsman Cameron Appleton has made it through to race the big boys of world matchracing in Bermuda.
Appleton, aged 22, yesterday won through the qualifying regatta to the Colorcraft Gold Cup, the grand finale event on the world circuit.
He joins his old boss, Russell Coutts,
and his new boss, world champion Dean Barker, in the star-studded fleet.
Another three Kiwi skippers could make it today. Chris Dickson and Murray Jones lead the other qualifying pool, one win ahead of Kelvin Harrap.
But another New Zealander, John Cutler, who is working with Dickson in the Oracle Racing America's Cup team, was yesterday knocked out of contention.
Cutler, sailing in the same pool as Appleton, did not reach the top four spots and entry into the regatta proper.
After the first day of racing, Appleton was looking unlikely to make the cut. But when the winds picked up to 25 knots, gusting to 30, yesterday, he got on to a winning streak.
"We made it hard on ourselves," he said.
"It has taken us a while to get used to these boats, but we knew we had a job to do today and we succeeded."
Also through are Australian Olympic sailor Neville Wittey and unheralded Americans Dalton Bergen and Andy Horton.
Bergen is a promising young yachtie - the United States College Sailor of the Year - who has been chosen to skipper the Spirit of Seattle challenge for the next America's Cup.
The Gold Cup has attracted the best-looking fleet since the cup regatta in Auckland earlier this year.
Team NZ skipper Barker has the chance to win a bonus of $US50,000 if he makes the final, and ends up the top skipper in the inaugural Swedish Match grand prix circuit.
Other skippers who made the starting line-up without having to qualify were Peter Gilmour, Ed Baird and Dennis Conner.
