Cream on the cake

As Ian Williams and his Pindar team add Monsoon Cup to their amazing World Match Racing Tour title

The Malaysian kettle drums thundered as Team Pindar - skipper Ian Williams, Bill Hardesty, Mark Williams, Mark Nicholls and Simon Shaw - paraded from the dock to the awards podium after winning the final match of the Monsoon Cup in Terengganu, Malaysia by defeating immediate past World Champion, Dato’ Peter Gilmour of PST.

“What a fantastic event,” said Williams, "We are absolutely blown away. Today we thought we had a speed edge and so we could put the pressure on when we were behind. The conditions were pretty tricky but in all honesty have been brilliant for the past four days."

Team Pindar was awarded the Monsoon Cup and their purse of MYR250,000 ($100,000) by the Prime Minister of Malaysia in front of thousands of spectators and media cameras. Peter Gilmour’s team including Yashuhiro Yaji, Christian Scherrer, Kazuhiko Sofuku and Rod Dawson claimed second prize and Bjorn Hansen’s Team Apport.Net with Magnus Woxen, Karl Kjerstadius, Martin Stromberg and Gustav Tempelman marched up on stage to received the third place prize from the Minister of Terengganu.

The finals started right on time in 12-14 knots and sunny skies for the live television coverage on Eurosport and ESPN Star Sports. In Race 1, Gilmour made an unforced error and copped a penalty in the pre-start. However, he led the entire way around the three lap course and with only a 40m lead tried to unload his penalty on the finish line to win the race. However, it was not enough as Williams crossed ahead by half a boat length.

In Race 2, Gilmour led from the start and never relinquished the lead showing his skill and confidence in a World Tour final. Race 3, saw the most spirited race of the match. Williams copped a penalty in the pre-start but led around the first lap. Near the first leeward mark Williams tried to luff Gilmour and push him off the course. Williams then faked a gybe to the mark and then headed back at Gilmour now on port. Gilmour was not ready for the move and copped the penalty which offset the penalty Williams already had. However the umpires had determined that Gilmour who had now rounded ahead an inside gained an advantage through the foul and gave him another penalty which cost him the race. A boisterous Gilly, had a few choice words for the umpires during the race.

In the 4th and final race, Williams drew a penalty on Gilmour in the pre-start and then lead the entire way around the course to take the win and the coveted Monsoon Cup. While regatta organiser, Dato’ Peter Gilmour has had probably more time in the racing yachts than anyone else on the World Tour, Ian Williams out manoeuvred him in some close pre-start and mark rounding situations.

“Today we were simply not good enough," said Peter Gilmour. "Ian sailed well but we certainly helped to open the door, which at this level you just can't do."

In the petit-finals Bjorn Hansen and Paolo Cian went to the final race to decide 3rd & 4th places. In the final race they stayed within two boat lengths of each other throughout their race for third place in the Monsoon Cup. Paolo Cian was overlapped with Bjorn Hansen at the finish, but it just wasn’t enough. Bjorn Hansen took third place in the Monsoon Cup and Cian and Team Shosholosa were fourth. Cian’s Team Shosholosa also claimed the World Match Racing Tour’s third place trophy for his finish in the Petit Final.

“This has been an incredible season and World Championship” commented, World Tour President, Scott MacLeod “After 15 stages around the world, to have this championship come down to one race with three potential winners is fantastic for the sport”

Along with the Monsoon Cup, Williams and his Pindar Racing Team were awarded the ISAF Match Racing World Championship Trophy designed by Wedgwood by ISAF Vice-President David Kellet and the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Williams graciously thanked the organizers, particularly Dato’ Peter Gilmour, for putting on a tremendous show at the Heritage Bay Club in Terengganu, Malaysia.

Williams, who is sponsored by print and electronic media company Pindar, has had an incredible year, leading the World Match Racing Tour for 10 out of the 15 months it has been running. Williams and his team have won events in St Moritz, Bermuda and now Malaysia during the Tour. Each team counts their best eight events, which must include the Monsoon Cup, worth double points, towards their score for the World Championship. As no Briton has ever been crowned ISAF Match Racing World Champion before, Williams is undoubtedly Britain’s best ever match racing sailor.

Ian Williams, 30, commented: “Winning the Monsoon Cup is just the icing on the cake this weekend. While we celebrated our World Championship victory yesterday, we knew there was still work to be done in the remaining round of this event. The Monsoon Cup is the best event on the Tour, with a purpose built brand world class venue, and this weekend has been brilliant. Sailing in 12-14 knots, with blue skies, we’ve had some great, although occasionally tricky conditions, and really been able to get the most out of these boats in order to push ourselves to the top. We’re blown away.”

Andrew Pindar, Chairman of the Pindar Group commented: “What a fantastic weekend for Ian and his team. We at Pindar are very proud of their achievements, to win the most coveted title – the World Championships – and also the final event of the Tour, really proves their talent at this level. Congratulations.”

Overall Standings
1st Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar - 250,000.00 MYR
2nd Dato’ Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST - 150,000.00 MYR
3rd Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.Net - 100,000.00 MYR
4th Paolo Cian (ITA) Shosholoza - 90,000.00 MYR
5th Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team - 80,000.00 MYR
6th Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team - 70,000.00 MYR
7th Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch Racing - 60,000.00 MYR
8th Jesper Radich (DEN) Radich Racing - 56,000.00 MYR
9th Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team - 46,000.00 MYR
10th Sebastien Col (FRA) Areva Challenge - 46,000.00 MYR
11th Katie Spithill (AUS) Team Acuity - 30,000.00 MYR
12th Tiffany Koo (MAS) UK Halsey Gapurna Team - 28,000.00 MYR