Williams v Richard

Competition hots up in the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge match race series

A battle royale is expected to ensue over three days this weekend for round six of the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge Series. With a strong international field, including rivals Ian Williams, and Frenchman Mathieu Richard, who will be hoping to secure his place in the grand final at Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines.

Expectations will be high for British world match racing sailor Ian Williams, ranked number two in the world and who has dominated his qualifiers to date and has already secured his place for the grand final in March.

Mathieu Richard from France, meanwhile is ranked third in the world and is second seed at this event. Williams and Richard have begun an epic battle on the international match racing circuit, coming up against each other several times in the past year and will continue to fight it out at the Winter Challenge event.

At present the score between the two skippers stands at 2-1 in Williams' favour - Williams beat Richard in the final of the Bermuda-based King Edward II Gold Cup, while Richard beat Williams in the semi-final of the Monsoon Cup, Malaysia and Williams beat Richard again at the semi-final of the Auckland Match Racing Cup..

Strong contenders this weekend will also include Briton and finalist, Mark Campbell James. Also in contention and hoping to secure the two remaining places in the final is world number ten Staffan Lindberg from Finland. Another potential finalist includes Denmark’s Peter Wibroe, who has shown consistent top five finishes throughout the circuit this year.

The remaining international field includes, Johnie Berntsson (SWE), eighth in last year’s final, Rasmus Viltoft (DEN), Jure Orel (SLO), Eric Monnin (SWI) and British sailor Christian Hamilton looking to make his mark this weekend after losing out in the earlier rounds of this series.

With four Britons, Ian Williams, Andy Green, Mark Campbell James and John Greenland, already booked in for the final, it should be a strong weekend of racing as the remaining European contingent aims to secure the last two spots in the final.

Qualifier 6 (9-11 Feb)

Ian Williams (GBR) 2
Mathieu Richard (FRA) 3
Staffan Lindberg (FIN) 10
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) 13
Eric Monnin (SWI) 15
Peter Wibroe (DEN) 18
Mark Campbell James (GBR) 25
Christian Hamilton (GBR) 37
Jure Orel (SLO) 40
Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) 49

Future Events
Qualifier 6 (9-11 Feb)
Women’s Final (23-25 Feb)
Final (9-11 March)

The Winter Challenge Series is part of JPMorgan Asset Management’s commitment to world-class sailing in the UK. In addition to extending its title sponsorship of the Round the Island Race to 2010, the company are now sponsors of Ben Ainslie and Shirley Robertson, Britain’s two double Olympic gold medallists