Williams heads for 2008 season

Britain's no1 match racer back on to the circuit

As the start of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) fast approaches, reigning champion Ian Williams (Team Pindar) has made a promising start to 2008, including another win at the Grade Three Ice Breaker Cup in Sweden on April 13.

The win in Sweden comes just weeks after Ian won the Casa de Campo Sponsor Challenge in the Dominican Republic. The Englishman looks set to mount a strong bid to retain the WMRT title, which commences with the Brazil Sailing Cup on April 21-26 in Vitoria.

This year’s series is shaping up to be one of the most competitive ever. With uncertainty still hanging over the future of the America’s Cup, Ian will face tough competition from a world class line up including America’s Cup talent: Paolo Cian (Team Shosholoza), Magnus Holmberg (Victory Challenge), Sébastion Col (K-Challenge), Philippe Presti (French Spirit), Ben Ainslie (Team Origin) and Adam Minoprio (Emirates Team New Zealand). Also competing will be the current World No.1 Mathieu Richard (French Match Racing Team) and four time World Champion Peter Gilmour (Team PST).

Speaking after his win in Långedrag in Sweden, Williams commented: "Things have been going well and the crew is in good shape. It feels great to have secured a few wins before the start of the season and we’re looking forward to the prospect of more regular racing against the America’s Cup guys. It would be fantastic to win the title again."

After his dramatic victory at the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia in 2007, Ian Williams entered the history books to become the first ever Brit to win the World Match Racing Tour and with it the ISAF Match Racing World Championship title. Williams, now 30, turned professional in 2005 after making the brave decision to quit his City life in London, where he worked as a solicitor, to concentrate on sailing full time. Within months he had won two Grade 1 events and broke into the top five of the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) World Match Racing rankings and has not looked back since.

Chairman of the Pindar Group, Andrew Pindar commented: "We are immensely proud of Ian and delighted to be involved in the World Match Racing Tour again. We wish Ian and the crew every success in what promises to be another fiercely competitive series."

The 2008 tour begins in Vitoria in Brazil next week and will span nine countries before concluding with the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia in December. The 2008 edition also features an exciting new venue in Gyeonggi, Korea and a total prize purse of $1,515.000, an increase of over 20% on 2007.