Oracle BMW Racing’s Chris Dickson and Australia’s Peter Gilmour of Team Pizza La, two America’s Cup and international match racing veterans, defeated their more youthful opponents, Team New Zealand’s Dean Barker of the Omega Match Racing Team and Denmark’s Jesper Radich, respectively, to advance to tomorrow’s final.

Sunday’s championship battle features two skippers each with two regatta titles to their credit, Dickson winning honors in 1987 and 1989 and Gilmour hoisting aloft the prestigious King Edward VII Gold Cup in 1995 and 1997.

“It’s scary to think we’ve been doing this for 16 years and we’re still at it,” laughed Dickson. “It just goes to show that there are still days when the old bulls come through and with age comes wisdom, even if we’re a bit slower. I think we can look forward to a sedate final with a high level of finesse tomorrow.”

“This is clearly a unique venue and format and all of us sailors dearly love to come here,” said Gilmour. “Chris’ Oracle team beat our OneWorld team (in last year’s America’s Cup challenger series), I’m still licking my wounds from that, so we’re looking forward to having some fun tomorrow.”

Dickson won his first two semifinal races comfortably, as Barker went over the line early in the second, digging himself a hole from which he couldn’t escape.

Dickson was then over the start line early himself in the third match allowing the Omega Match Racing Team helmsman to grab a point and momentarily get back into the match.

In the fourth and decisive race Dickson found himself on the short end of a great start by Barker, but was able to close the gap approaching the windward mark by finding better pressure up the leg. When Barker failed to respond to two quick Dickson tacks, the veteran slid between Barker and the mark to round first. A poor spinnaker set by Barker’s crew then allowed Dickson to get some separation and create a lead he would protect for the final three legs of the match.

“It was sort of like being up against the ropes and responding with a 1-2 punch and getting a knock-out,” explained Dickson about the turn of events in his final race with Barker.

“We had a reasonable lead, but things went a little pear-shaped and we tried to do too much and then we were following them around (the mark),” said Barker. “Today was just one of those days where we never seemed to get it going.”

Gilmour and his Pizza La Sailing Team, running hot this week, dispatched the defending regatta champion and reigning Swedish Match Tour champion, 3-0. Radich was his own worst enemy at times on Hamilton Harbor today, copping a penalty that he clearly, and vocally, didn’t agree with in the pre-start of the first match and then going over the start line early in the second.

In the third match Gilmour used an excellent pre-start to shut Radich out, forcing him towards the stern of the committee boat as time wound down, giving the Australian skipper a two boat length lead off the line, a margin that Radich couldn’t overcome.

“Match racing is very much a game of momentum and when you get it going one way or another it can make a big difference,” said Gilmour.

“Big congratulations to Peter and his crew, they were better than us,” said Radich. “I made some really bad mistakes in the first two starts and when you’re racing a guy like Peter you have to be up there.”

In sail-offs for places five through eight, Team Alinghi’s Russell Coutts topped the scorecard, with American Bill Hardesty finishing sixth, Denmark’s Jes Gram-Hansen of Team Colorcraft grabbing seventh and Bermuda’s Paula Lewin of Team Ace Group winding up eighth.

The final day of the Investor’s Guaranty Presentation of the King Edward VII Gold Cup will feature the petit finals beginning at 10 am to be followed by the finals in the afternoon.

Finals Match Pairing – First-to-three-points
Peter Gilmour, AUS/Team Pizza La v. Chris Dickson, Oracle BMW Racing

Semifinal Results
Flight 1
Gilmour def. Radich
Dickson def. Barker

Flight 2
Gilmour def. Radich
Dickson def. Barker

Flight 3
Gilmour def. Radich
Barker def. Dickson

Flight 4
Dickson def. Barker

Source: Shawn McBride