| AUCKLAND, NZL-(4-11-2002) Young Brisbane sailor Mark Bradford showed his
all round helming skills in winning today's first race of the International
Etchells World Championship being sailed on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.
Steering Racer X, Bradford outsailed the 90-plus fleet one-design keelboats
in blustery conditions which caused many retirements due to damage, winning
from defending World Champion, Stuart Childerley from Great Britain,
steering Bedrock.
Fellow Australian and Bradford's boss at North Sails, Michael Coxon from
Sydney, came in third at the helm of North Sydney Station.
Next best of the large Australian contingent was another Sydney boat, Argha
Noah, skippered by Robert Weir, while The Croc (Michael Manford, Perth)
placed seventh and Tom Pepper XVIII (Peter McNeill, Lake Macquarie) finished
eighth.
America's Cup winning skipper John Bertrand finished 17th in Two Saints and
a Magpie, while the US yachtsmen he beat at Newport, Rhode Island, back in
1983, Dennis Conner, did well to finish 10th at the helm of Kiwi Menace III.
Among the other prominent Australian competitors, Grant Wharington placed
14th, Cameron Miles 26th while Iain Murray was back in 40th place.
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