The return of Ian Williams

Double World Match Racing Tour winner to make his comeback at Match Race Germany

Ian Williams, Great Britain’s first ever ISAF Match Racing World Champion, will start his 2010 Tour Campaign at Stage 2, Match Race Germany. Ian Williams (GBR) Sail Bahrain won his first title back in 2007, repeating the feat in 2008, but beaten by the newest match race rock star, Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing last year at the Monsoon Cup.

Match Race Germany, Stage 2 of the ISAF World Match Racing Tour will start Williams’ 2010 campaign where he will be sailing under the new team name Sail Bahrain. Top contenders that Ian Williams will have to fight through to make the finals on Lake Constance include; Stage 1 winner, Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team - the youngest tour card holder who will be celebrating his 24th birthday during Germany, Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team – Björn Hansen (SWE) who will be competing under the team name Gill Global Team for Stage 2 – fellow Swede and sailing legend Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge as well as Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Proximo formerly involved with South African America’s Cup syndicate Shosholoza.

Ian Williams will also have to consider the wild card entries at Langenargen as Match Race Germany have selected these places through strict qualifying guidelines. Qualifying for this World Championship Series took place at the 2009 German National Match Racing Championships and the Berlin Match Race 2009.

One wild card entry, Kathrin Kadelbach (GER) EWE Sailing Team will be the first female skipper to ever compete in Match Race Germany. She will be backed up by a male crew as well as tactician Ulrike Schümann, renowned as one of Germany’s top female racers, with two Olympic campaigns under her belt and over the last year has started training towards the 2012 Games to be held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

Match Race Germany will be a major test for Williams against the likes of Hansen and Holmberg as well as the come-back kids Minoprio and Mirsky who did not make the finals in Marseille for the opening stage of the World Match Racing Tour. Mirsky has continued his match race training dedication, currently competing at ‘Open de Espana Match Race’ while Minoprio has been looking at his 2011 offshore plans.

Ian Williams said, “I am looking forward to being back on the ISAF Match Racing World Tour for 2010, I have enjoyed this World Championship sailing series for the last 5 years since I decided to commit fully to professional sailing. I feel ready and confident to get started on my 2010 Tour campaign this May”.

Skipper List Match Race Germany (Stage 2)
Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Gill Global Team
Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Italia
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
Ian Williams (GBR) Sail Bahrain
Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Proximo
Mads Ebler (DEN) Ebler Matchracing
Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge
Jesper Radich (DEN) Radich Racing Team
Kathrin Kadelback (GER) EWE Sailing Team

2010 ISAF World Match Racing Tour overall standings
(After Stage 1 of 10)
1. Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 25 Points
2. Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN 20 Points
3. Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra 15 Points
4. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Italia 12 Points
5. Sebastian Col (FRA) ALL 4 ONE 10 Points
6. Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 8 Points
7. Philippe Presti (FRA) 6 Points
8. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 4 Points