Ian Willams and his Team GAC Pindar crew have won the Monsoon Cup and secured a 3rd World Match Racing Tour championship. The Monsoon Cup is the finale of the WMRT and counts for extra points as well as one of the biggest prize purses in sailing.
Williams follows fellow Brit, Ben Ainslie as a back to back winner of both the Monsoon Cup and WMRT Trophy, but Williams also won the championship in 2007 and 2008.
Other Skippers to have won the tour 3 times include America’s Cup greats – Russell Coutts, Chris Dickson, Peter Gilmour and Ed Baird.
Williams team for the World Match Racing Tour season included: Bill Hardesty, Mal Parker, Gerry Mitchell and Matt Cassidy. Williams said:
“It feels fantastic to have won our third world title! We’ve had a really strong season – we won two regattas heading into the Monsoon Cup which is the most we’ve won in a season and we felt really strong as a team. They are fantastic and we can’t manage without any one member. The team pulls together when we are up against it and we were definitely up against it here, we pulled it out of the bag at a critical moment… It’s a massive release of emotions.”
Williams beat Francesco Bruni who ended Australian skipper Torvar Mirsky’s bid for the championship before the finals had even begun. Mirsky’s The Wave Muscat Team finished 4th on the overall championship leader-board, a disappointing result for a team that thought this was their year. Mirsky finished 9th in the Monsoon Cup.
“We are devastated, shattered to lose at this stage – we are broken.All credit to Bruni and his team, they pipped us on the line. We went in for the last gybe and in previous races there was enough pressure there but now this time. It really hurts, that moment decided everything. We felt we were a team who would have contended for the title so that’s what hurts the most.”
“We sailed around after the race and no one on our boat said anything, we are all absolutely devastated. We thought this was one event we could have nailed. We’ve won two events this year but this leaves a sour taste in our mouth overall.”
“The young teams have sailed really well though and are smashing everyone so best of luck to Will and Phil.”
Jim O’Toole, CEO of the World Match Racing Tour, concluded the season, by saying:
“The Monsoon Cup brings one of the closest fought World Match Racing Tour seasons ever to a dramatic close. The event promoters and teams have again raised the standard both on and off the water and deserve a well-earned break while the Tour management is busy planning for next season.”
WMRT World Championship Points & Standings
- 1 Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar – 144pts
- 2 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing – 112pts
- 3 Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team – 106.2pts
- 4 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat – 105.8pts
- 5 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing – 102.8pts
- 6 Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners – 99.2pts
- 7 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team – 90pts
- 8 Phil Robertson (NZL) Team China powered by WAKA Racing – 74.4pts
- 9 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team – 74pts
- 10 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team – 72.6pts
