| MOOLOOLABA, AUSTRALIA-(7-7-2004) Ten New Zealand boats are among the 80 yachts nominated for next month’s Etchells World Championship 2004 to be sailed off Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Heading the strong Kiwi contingent is Cameron Appleton from the Gulf Harbour fleet in Auckland, sailing Embers. Appleton is well experienced in sailing on the Mooloolaba offshore course, having won the Etchells Australian Winter Championship here in 2003, finishing seventh in this year’s series in June.
Last April, Appleton finished a close second to Australia’s John Bertrand in the Etchells New Zealand National Championship. Close third placegetter in the New Zealand Championship, Auckland fleet’s Grant Turnbull, is also in the New Zealand contingent for the Worlds, sailing The Old Hag.
The other New Zealand entries for the Worlds are: Waiwera One (Rob Croft, Gulf Harbour fleet), Top 40 (Ian Smith, Queenstown), Upfront (Lindsay Kennedy, Gulf Harbour), Golli Gosh (Gavin Gerrard, Auckland), Waiwera Infinity (John St Clair Brown, Gulf Harbour), Waiwera Naturally Hot (Peter Delaney, Wellington), Irish Crystal (Brian Jones, Gulf Harbour), No Boundaries (Paul Verry, Wellington) and The Old Hag (Grant Turnbull, Auckland).
Appleton, Kennedy. Croft, St Clair Brown, Jones and Smith sailed in last month’s Australian Winter Championship with Appleton achieving the best result.
The Etchells World Championship 2004 has attracted 80 entries from all Australian fleets, the USA, Hong Kong, Italy and Great Britain. The Championship regatta opens on 28 July with racing from 1-8 August.
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