Can Williams achieve back to back wins

Match racing world champion returns to the RYA Winter Challenge this weekend

World champion Ian Williams will be looking to stamp his authority on the 2007-2008 Winter Challenge Match Racing Series as the final qualifier takes place at Queen Mary Sailing Club this weekend (Friday 8 February-Sunday 10 February).

Williams, who became the first Briton ever to win the World Match Racing Tour with his Team Pindar crew in December, has already staked his place in this year’s Challenge Series Final having cruised to qualifier two victory just a week after his historic Tour triumph in Malaysia.

Now the Southampton-based skipper, a former RYA National Match Racing Series and RYA Youth Match Racing Champion, will be eager to take the line in the Series Final on 7-9 March, unbeaten by securing another win on the waters of Queen Mary.

Williams’ strongest challenge looks set to come from World top 10 ranked duo Bjorn Hansen (SWE), fourth in the 2007 World Championship final standings, and 2006 Winter Challenge Series winner and World number seven Frenchman Damien Iehl (FRA).

Meanwhile, two of Williams’ fellow countrymen will renew their rivalry as Mark Campbell-James and Nick Cherry once again go head-to-head.

Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme sailor Cherry, the reigning RYA National Match Racing Champion, has had a busy winter including taking part in his first ever Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race while the world ranked 23 Campbell-James edged the last meeting between the two, taking second to Cherry’s third, at the first series qualifier in November.

David Campbell-James, Winter Challenge Series Co-ordinator, said: “The Series Final in March looks like it is shaping up to be a fantastic exhibition of match racing. With the reigning champion Andy Green booking his Final spot in the previous qualifier and Ian also already qualified the field potentially looks very strong.

“With the qualifiers coming to a close this weekend we are really looking forward to welcoming the World’s top female match racers, including newly-crowned ISAF World Sailor of the Year Claire Leroy, to Queen Mary for the Women’s Winter Challenge in a fortnight.

“As always we are extremely grateful to the sailors to supporting the RYA Winter Challenge Series.”

RYA Winter Challenge Match Racing Series 5 Entry List:

Ian Williams (GBR) (ISAF Ranking 2)
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) (5)
Damien Iehl (FRA) (7)
Johnnie Berntsson (SWE) (19)
Mark Campbell-James (GBR) (23)
Jure Orel (SLO) (24)
Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) (32)
Nick Cherry (GBR) (46)

2007-08 RYA Winter Challenge Match Racing Series Dates:
Winter Challenge 5 (Grade 2) 8 - 10 February
Women’s Winter Challenge (Grade 2) 22 - 24 February
Winter Challenge Final (Grade 2) 7 - 9 March 2008