Gold Cup appears to have paid off with both Martin Siese and Peter Bromby qualifying for the first round along with six other unseeded skippers.

But the pair took contrasting routes in gaining the right to face the sport's `big boys' with Bromby cruising through undefeated, while Siese needed the benefit of a tie-break to keep alive his chances.

"I feel pretty fortunate again just like the Bank of Bermuda regatta, coming in and getting through on the tie-breaker,'' said Siese. "I'm getting to be a little bit of an escape artist doing this stuff at the last minute.'' The first-time Omega Gold Cup competitor found himself in a must-win situation against Switzerland's Lorenz Muller -- the man he needed to catch -- in the last flight of races.

And Siese, who totalled just one win yesterday to go with two on Sunday, put himself in an even more precarious position when he botched the start, allowing Muller to seize an early advantage. But the 28-year-old did not panic and soon recovered to take the lead by the first windward mark, never to be seriously threatened by Muller in winning by 12 seconds.

Said Siese: "Starting's not my strong point. I have a tendency of getting into trouble because I'm not aggressive enough.

"Doing a lot of fleet racing you try to stay away from penalties and stuff, but for this you have to go out and nail the other guy and it's hard to change your attitude and do it the other way.'' Siese's earlier losses had come against Japan's Robert Fry and fellow Bermudian Paul Fisher, that by a mere two seconds, a result of Siese being assessed a penalty turn after making contact with Fisher on the first leeward leg.

For his efforts, Siese was matched against world number one Chris Dickson in a best-of-five race series tomorrow. However, Siese is not ready to concede defeat and in fact relishes the challenge.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's all experience for me and what better experience can you get than racing number one.'' On an afternoon when winds were favourable -- upwards of 12 knots -- there were three close finishes in group one with Fry involved in two of them -- Fisher and Siese made for the other.

Fry, a member of the Nippon Challenge at this year's America's Cup, started his day nudging out Steve Benjamin of the United States by two seconds, that after the latter had led most of the way. However, the tables were turned in the last race, which Fry entered looking to take group honours and emulate Bromby's 7-0 record only to have Swede Magnus Holmberg pip him at the line by a second.

The result left a three-way tie atop the standings with Fry, Holmberg and Jorg Diesch of Germany each having six wins against one loss to their credit.

Officials were thwarted in their efforts to break the tie and eventually lots needed to be drawn to decide match-ups for the next round.

Diesch, who counted triumphs over Muller, Bill Buckles and Benjamin, gained first place through this elaborate system and next faces 1988 champion John Kolius. Second-place finisher Holmberg will battle world number six Ed Baird and Fry has an unenviable task in the form of Paul Cayard.

Meanwhile in group two, Bromby was at his belligerent best, manhandling all who dared challenge his supremacy. Per Asmussen did manage to come within seven seconds of the reigning World International One Design champion, but this during the last race when his spot was already well in hand.

Bromby reached this stage of the competition in 1990 before being eliminated.

He has good knowledge of his next opponent, Marc Pajot of France, as well as the $4,000 that awaits if he can beat him.

"He's not a guy to be taken lightly and it's hard to think of him as a reward for winning this group,'' said Bromby. "If we win here we win money. He's a good sailor in his own right but our goal is just to win three.'' Like the Bermudian, Dutchman Roy Heiner was similarly flawless yesterday, registering three victories for a total of six and putting himself in line for a shot at Englishman Chris Law.

Rounding out the top four qualifiers are Markus Wieser of Germany and Peter Holmberg, who hails from the US Virgin Islands. Wieser now faces defending champion Eddie Warden-Owen while Holmberg has Kiwi ace Russell Coutts as his challenge.

CLOSE CONTEST -- Steve Benjamin (2) and Robert Fry (7) in action yesterday.

Fry won by two seconds.

BERMUDA CONNECTION -- Martin Siese, left, and Paul Fisher were involved in the first meeting of local sailors in the Omega Gold Cup. Fisher won by two seconds, but Siese advanced to tomorrow's first round where he will face top seed Chris Dickson.