Ian Williams wins 2011 Monsoon Cup to retain World Match Racing Championships title
Great Britain’s Ian Williams, skipper Team GAC Pindar, successfully managed to finish on top of the 2011 Monsoon Cup standings after a superb display of his sailing skills. He defeated Berntsson Sailing Team’s Johnie Berntsson easily in the event’s final
at Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, by the score line of 3-1. With this victory, Williams has retained his top spot at the World Match Racing Championship.
Williams, after the 2011 Monsoon Cup victory, has become the second British sailor to have won both the Monsoon Cup and the World Championship twice after compatriot, Ben Ainslie, accomplished the feat in 2010. Williams first grabbed both titles back in
2007. Berntsson, on the other hand, finished on second spot after he had a convincing run to the final of the Monsoon Cup.
The odds were heavily stacked in favour of Williams, as he had a winning rate of 78 percent, while Berntsson held only a 22 percent match winning rate.
Williams trapped his opponent against the Race Committee boat in the first match, as he speeded up ahead to the first mark. Berntsson could do nothing but follow Williams, who extended his lead until the end to move 1-0 ahead. Williams continued his dominance
in the second match with a clean start and forced Berntsson to follow him on the right side course. The move helped Williams to secure a 2-0 lead.
Williams took an early lead in the third match too but Berntsson bounced back into the game and snatched the lead to finish on top and move the scores to 2-1. The fourth race proved to be the last one as Williams finished on top of the final standings to
claim the title by the score line of 3-1.
Final standings at the conclusion of 2011 Monsoon Cup standings:
1. Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar
2. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team
3. Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners
4. Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
5. Will Tiller (NZL) Full Metal Jacket Racing
6. Phil Robertson (NZL) Team China powered by WAKA Racing
7. Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team
8. Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing
9. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat
10. Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
11. Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team
12. Jeremy Koo (MAS) Abdullah Chan / KRT
Overall World Championship Standings are given below:
1. Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar - 144 points
2. Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing - 112 points
3. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team - 106.2 points
4. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat - 105.8 points
5. Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing - 102.8 points
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