The Malaysian kettle drums thundered as Team Pindar – Skipper Ian Williams, Bill Hardesty, Mark Williams, Mark Nicholls and Simon Shaw paraded from the dock to the awards podium after winning the final match of the Monsoon Cup in Terengganu, Malaysia by defeating immediate past World Champion, Dato’ Peter Gilmour of PST. Bjorn Hansen won over and Paolo Cian in the petit-finals and finished third.
“What a fantastic event,” said Williams, "We are absolutely blown away.
Today we thought we had a speed edge and so we could put the pressure
on when we were behind. The conditions were pretty tricky but in all
honesty have been brilliant for the past four days."
Team Pindar was awarded the Monsoon Cup and their purse of MYR250,000
($100,000) by the Prime Minister of Malaysia in front of thousands of
spectators and media cameras. Peter Gilmour’s team including Yashuhiro
Yaji, Christian Scherrer, Kazuhiko Sofuku and Rod Dawson claimed second
prize and Bjorn Hansen’s Team Apport.Net with Magnus Woxen, Karl
Kjerstadius, Martin Stromberg and Gustav Tempelman marched up on stage
to received the third place prize from the Minister of Terengganu.
The finals started right on time in 12-14 knots and sunny skies for the
live television coverage on Eurosport and ESPN Star Sports. In Race 1,
Gilmour made an unforced error and copped a penalty in the pre-start.
However, he lead the entire way around the three lap course and with
only a 40 meter lead tried to unload his penalty on the finish line to
win the race. However, it was not enough as Williams crossed ahead by
half a boat length.
In Race 2, Gilmour lead from the start and never relinquished the lead
showing his skill and confidence in a World Tour final. Race 3, saw the
most spirited race of the match. Williams copped a penalty in the
pre-start but lead around the first lap. Near the first leeward mark
Williams tried to luff Gilmour and push him off the course. Williams
then faked a gybe to the mark and then headed back at Gilmour now on
port. Gilmour was not ready for the move and copped the penalty which
offset the penalty Williams already had. However the umpires had
determined that Gilmour who had now rounded ahead an inside gained an
advantage through the foul and gave him another penalty which cost him
the race. A boisterous Gilly, had a few choice words for the umpires
during the race.
In the 4th and final race, Williams drew a penalty on Gilmour in the
pre-start and then lead the entire way around the course to take the
win and the coveted Monsoon Cup. While regatta organizer, Dato’ Peter
Gilmour has had probably more time in the racing yachts than anyone
else on the World Tour, Ian Williams out maneuvered him in some close
pre-start and mark rounding situations.

“Today we were simply not good enough," said Peter Gilmour "Ian sailed
well but we certainly helped to open the door, which at this level you
just can't do."
In the petit-finals Bjorn Hansen and Paolo Cian went to the final race
to decide 3rd & 4th places. In the final race they stayed within
two boat lengths of each other throughout their race for third place in
the Monsoon Cup. Paolo Cian was overlapped with Bjorn Hansen at the
finish, but it just wasn’t enough. Bjorn Hansen took third place in the
Monsoon Cup and Cian and Team Shosholosa were fourth. Cian’s Team
Shosholosa also claimed the World Match Racing Tour’s third place
trophy for his finish in the Petit Final.
“This has been an incredible season and World Championship” commented,
World Tour President, Scott MacLeod “After 15 stages around the world,
to have this championship come down to one race with three potential
winners is fantastic for the sport”
Along with the Monsoon Cup, Williams and his Pindar Racing Team were
awarded the ISAF Match Racing World Championship Trophy designed by
Wedgwood by ISAF Vice-President David Kellet and the Prime Minister of
Malaysia. Williams graciously thanked the organizers, particularly
Dato’ Peter Gilmour, for putting on a tremendous show at the Heritage
Bay Club in Terengganu, Malaysia.
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