Great Britain’s Ian Williams targets third 2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour title – Sailing news
Great Britain’s Ian Williams, skipper helm of Team GAC Pindar, is aiming to grab his career’s third title of International Sailing Federation World Match Racing Tour. The Briton is hoping to perform well in the current Match Racing event to see his name
in the list of champions. Williams’ Team GAC Pindar is currently at third place in the overall standings of 2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour after Stage 5.
Williams and crew grabbed their first Match Racing Title in 2007 which made Williams the first British to have ever won the Match Racing Tour title. He continued his dominance on the ISAF Match Racing circuit in 2008 after he claimed the second title for
his country. After having unconvincing 2009 and 2010 tours, Williams hopes to start fresh and reignite his drive for another title.
Currently, Team GAC Pindar has occupied third place with 71 points behind Italy’s Francesco Bruni and Australia’s Peter Gilmour. So far Williams has grabbed back-to-back victories at the Portimão Portugal Match Cup and Stena Match Cup Sweden. Now he is eyeing
to clinch another title to claim the third tour of his sailing career.
While speaking to the local media about his targets, Williams said, “If we were able to win this year it would take us to three world titles which would put us alongside some of the greats of match racing like Chris Dickson and Russell Coutts. Having had
a couple of years where we haven’t even finished on the podium has been frustrating.”
He added, “I think we have a good shot at the title. We’ve now had three good results from four events and we have to get at least one more from the next two events in order to be right up there. Our job now is to make sure we secure that position going
into the last event of the Tour.”
2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour Standings (After Stage 5):
1. Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing = 81 points
2. Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing = 74 points
3. Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar = 71 points
4. Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners = 59 points
5. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat = 59 points
6. Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team = 57 points
7. Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team = 57 points
8. Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team = 53 points
9. Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing = 39 points
10. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team = 34 points
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