In May 2005, Ian Williams left his job as a lawyer in the City to launch a full time assault on the World Match Racing Tour. The Williams Sail Racing team finished their first year on the Tour in 2nd place. In the 2006/07 World Tour the team leapt to an early lead and won the final event in Malaysia to become the first ever British World Match Racing Champions. Having dominated the season again in 2008, Ian retained his title to become one of only five people to win multiple World Championships. This year, Ian is aiming to become the first skipper in history to win 3 consecutive World Match Racing Championships.

Latest news

View World Match Racing Tour events on line at Sail.tv. Follow this link for all the latest action.

14 November 2009

Yachtsman of the Year Nomination

Ian Williams is nominated for the 2009 YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year Award. Results and subsequent celebrations will take place on 12 January 2010.

12 October

Third for Team Pindar at Argo Group Gold Cup

The Team finished third at the Argo Group Gold Cup in Bermuda this weekend, a result which sees them climb from fifth to third overall in the standings with just one event remaining.

26 September 2009

Team Pindar go to Bermuda for the Argo Group Gold Cup next week still with with a chance at a 3rd World Title but with it all to do. The team is 18 points behind leaders Mirsky Racing Team and, depending on other results, probably needs to make the final in Bermuda to give themselves a chance going into the final event in Malaysia in December.


18 July 2009

Team Pindar completed the first half of the season in 5th place on the World Tour. Ian Williams commented "We've certainly got some work to do in the Tour but with the Events that we are traditionally strong in coming up, I am confident that we can get back into contention before we go to Malaysia in December." Ian has previously won 4 of the 5 events left on this year's Tour (St. Moritz, Denmark, Bermuda and Malaysia).

7 June 2009

Second for Bahrain Team Pindar at Korea Match Cup

Bahrain Team Pindar’s double World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams finished runner-up to Italy’s Paolo Cian (Team Shosholoza) at the Korea Match Cup Final held at Jeongok Marina today.

18 May 2009

Bahrain Team Pindar heads to Germany

Bahrain Team Pindar’s Double World Match Racing Champion, Ian Williams and crew are preparing to head to Lake Constance in Germany, for the second round of the 2009 World Match Racing Tour which takes place from May 27 - June 1.

Match Race Germany has been part of the Tour since 2000 and each year attracts more than 30,000 spectators, including visitors from neighbouring countries Austria and Switzerland, to watch the highest level of match racing. The event will be sailed in sportive Bavaria 35 Match Yachts, where competitors will race for the US$50,000 prize money and valuable points to boost their ISAF world ranking. Williams and crew go into the competition in eigth place, after just one event so far this season. They face a strong line up of some of the biggest names in the sport, including former four-time World Match Racing Champion, Australian, Peter Gilmour, who is making his Tour comeback with his Yanmar Racing Team.

Fellow British skipper and Olympic hero, Ben Ainslie (Team Origin) will also be competing, as well as French skippers Sébastien Col (French Team Racing/ K-Challenge) and Mathieu Richard (French Team), who currently head the ISAF World rankings ahead of Williams. Speaking ahead of the event, Williams commented: “We’re about to enter a very intense phase on the 2009 World Match Racing calendar, with four events in six weeks, including back-to-back events in Germany and Korea. Match Race Germany is always an enjoyable week, with lots of spectators and a great atmosphere in the race village. We’re looking forward to getting out on the water and building some momentum.”

The event will take place at the new Match Center Germany which boasts a Sailing Academy and runs successful business coaching events. During the week the Yacht Club Langenargen will host an extensive programme of entertainment both on and off the water, including offering children the chance to meet their sailing heroes and Optimists team racing.

7 December 2008

WILLIAMS RETAINS HIS CROWN

Ian Williams of Bahrain Team Pindar, match racing skipper extraordinaire, has retained his world title taking out the 2008 ISAF Match Racing World Championship trophy. Ian Williams (Bahrain Team Pindar) was today presented with the 2008 ISAF Match Racing World Championship trophy in Malaysia, following the completion of the Monsoon Cup, the ninth and final round of the 2008 World Match Racing Tour. Williams sailed into the history books last year when he become the first British sailor ever to win the World Match Racing title. Having dominated the season again this year, a fourth place finish this week proved enough to retain the title for a second consecutive year.

 27 November

The final event of the 2008 World Match Racing Tour, the Monsoon Cup takes place in Malaysia from 3 - 7 December. Extensive TV coverage is planned with four daily highlights shows going out on 2, 3, 4, 5 December plus 2 hours of live coverage from 2-4 pm local time (GMT +8) each day on 6 and 7 December.

Broadcasters taking the highlights and live shows include:

ESPN Star Sports (Asia)

Eurosport (Europe)

Eurosport Asia and Pacific

Showtime Arabia (Middle East)

Fox Middle East

America One (USA)

Sports Max (Caribbean)

Setanta (UK and Ireland)

BT Vision (UK)

Viasat VOD (Scandinavia)

SKY New Zealand

Live coverage will also be available on the internet at www.sail.tv

9 October

Team Pindar today announced an exciting new partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain. The team will now be known as Bahrain Team Pindar.

24 September

Team Pindar’s World Match Racing Champion, Ian Williams has been nominated for the prestigious ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award. This award is widely regarded as the highest accolade in sailing.

Williams, who is currently leading the 2008 World Match Racing Tour by 20 points, will race at the Troia Portugal Match Cup this week.

8 September

After finishing 2nd in St Moritz Match Race, Team Pindar have increased their lead on the tour. They are now preparing for Troia Portugal Match Cup which starts on 23 September.

31 August

World Champion Ian Williams and Team Pindar win the Danish Open. The victory sees Williams retain the top spot on the leaderboard with 72 points, extending his lead to 15 points, with four events remaining. Read more

28 August

Team Pindar’s World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams competes in the Danish Open this week, where he will be looking to extend their lead on the 2008 World Match Racing Tour. Read more

8 August

Pindar’s World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams today won the Laser SB3 class at Skandia Cowes Week. Read more 

22 July

Results from Stage Four at Match Cup Swedan keeps Team Pindar still on top.

30 June

Team Pindar's World Match Racing Champion, Ian Williams, has regained his position at the top of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings, ahead of this week’s fourth leg on the World Match Racing Tour, Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand from 1- 6 July. Read more

18 June

Team Pindar finish second in Korea Match Cup, extending their lead on the World Match Racing Tour ranking list. They head out to Marstrand, Swedan next week to prepare for Match Cup Swedan.

18 May

Team Pindar are now preparing for their first ever Match Race in Korea after finishing fourth in Match Race Germany, a result that restored them back to the top of the World Tour leaderboard.

4 May

Team Pindar go to Langenargen tomorrow for Match Race Germany hoping to build on their third place finish in Brazil.

18 April

As the start of the World Match Racing Tour fast approaches, Team Pindar has made a promising start to 2008, including another win at the Grade Three Ice Breaker Cup in Sweden on April 13.

2 December

Team Pindar yesterday won the World Match Racing Championship by reaching the final of the Monsoon Cup, to be raced today.

22 November

Team Pindar goes to Malaysia on Sunday for the final event in the 2006/07 World Match Racing Tour. Currently lying in 2nd place, the team needs to finish ahead of Mathieu Richard to claim the World Title.

14 September

Catch 'Team Pindar' in action on Eurosport and SkySports UK this month, as their win in St Moritz and 2nd place finish in Portugal are aired on TV.

19 August

King of the Mountain! Team Pindar (Ian Williams, Mark Nicholls and Andy Estcourt) today won the St. Moritz Match Race and by doing so takes a commanding lead in the World Match Racing Tour standings.

12 August

Team Pindar finished the Danish Open in 3rd place today. Consecutive top 3 finishes have now put Team Pindar back on top of the World Match Racing Tour.

30 July

Team Pindar finished in 2nd place at the recent Portugal Match Cup. This result lifts the team to 2nd place on the World Match Racing Tour whilst solidifying their position at the top of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings.

9 May

Ian Williams of Team Pindar today became the World Number One match racing sailor. This is the first time any British sailor has led the ISAF World Match Race Rankings in the history of the classification, crowning Ian as the nation’s most successful match racing sailor.

23 March

Team Pindar won the recent Marseille International Match Race grade 1 event. This result means that Ian Williams will become the first ever British World No.1 when the May rankings are released.

6 December

Ian Williams of ‘Team Pindar’ today climbs into second place in the ISAF Match Race Rankings, equalling the highest ever open ranking for any British sailor.

ISAF Match Racing Rankings

5 December

Team Pindar finished in 3rd place at the Monsoon Cup which finished on Sunday. Narrowly losing to France's Matthieu Richard in the semi-final, the Team went on to beat Peter Gilmour in the petit-final leaving Team Pindar 12 points clear at the top of the World Match Racing Tour leaderboard.

20 October

The WSR Team of Ian Williams, Gerry Mitchell, Mark Nicholls and Bill Hardesty have won their first World Match Racing Tour event, beating Frenchman Mathieu Richard 3-1 in the final of the Bermuda Gold Cup. Next week WSR will be going for it's second win at the Allianz Cup in San Francisco.

09 October

WSR begins the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Bermuda this Wednesday, stage 4 of the 06/07 World Match Racing Tour

20 August

WSR has completed 3 back-to-back events, finishing 2nd at the grade 1 Internationaux de France de Match Racing, 5th at the Danish Open and 10th at St. Moritz Match Race, both World Match Racing Tour events.

It was always going to be tough to do 3 events on the trot. But for a bit of bad luck like breaking the vang in a crucial race in Denmark and missing the quarter finals in St. Moritz on a tie-break, the run could have been much more successful.

However, it has been a hugely succesful summer overall for WSR and we are now looking forward to the winter program to include events in Bermuda, San Francisco, Malaysia and Auckland.

20 July

WSR finished in 2nd place at the Locman Cup, Elba Island, the final event of the World Match Racing Tour. This was enough for the team to pick up 2nd place overall in the Tour Championship

8 June

WSR finished Match Race Germany in 3rd place after a very close petite final against Staffan Lindberg. This places WSR in 5th place on the World Tour with one event to go

31 May

The WSR Team starts Match Race Germany tomorrow in 7th position on the World Match Racing Tour leaderboard after a 6th place finish in Croatia

4 May

Ian Williams has reached 10,000 points on the ISAF World Match Racing Ranking system for the first time. This places Ian 6th on the rankings and well positioned to move up over the summer.

21 April

WSR has returned from the Congressional Cup after finishing 2nd overall - a great result for a first effort at this prestigious event. Click for reports.

12 April

WSR are lying in 2nd place after day 2 of the 42nd annual Congressional Cup in Long Beach, California with a 9-2 record.

19 March

WSR finished the Brasil Sailing Cup in 8th place. After being knocked out in the quarter finals by James Spithill, the eventual winner, WSR was awarded 8th place by the jury.

16 March

A slow start to the Brasil Sailing Cup saw only two flights completed yesterday for group A. WSR are in Group B and hope to start sailing this afternoon.  click for event website

30 January

The Williams Sail Racing team finished 5th in the Auckland Match Racing Cup last week. Teams finishing behind Williams included Ed Baird and Magnus Holmberg - click for daily reports.

27 January 2006

The Williams Sail Racing team will being fighting it out for 5th place at the Auckland Match Racing Cup tomorrow after narrowly missing out on the semi-finals.

19 December 2005

The Williams Sail Racing team swept to victory at the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge Qualifier 3 over the weekend. Andrew Cornah battled hard in the final, but Williams and his team were able to win out 2-0 to book a place in the final in March.

10 December 2005

Ian Williams rounds out the year ranked No.5 in the World on the official ISAF World Match Racing Rankings.

6 December 2005

The Williams Sail Racing team finished 8th overall in the Monsoon Cup.  Having finished 5th in the Round Robin, the team were defeated by Russell Coutts in the quarter finals.

21 November 2005

Williams Sail Racing Team fly to Kuala Terrengganu in Malaysia this weekend for the inaugual Monsoon Cup which starts on Tuesday 29 November. Click on links for the event website and live internet TV coverage.


21 November 2005

ISAF annual meetings:

Starting from 2006, the ISAF Match Racing World Championship will no longer be held as a single event. Instead a World Tour will decide the World Champion. WSR is eagerly waiting for the details to be made public.


26 October 2005

Ian Williams moves up to number 5 on the ISAF World Rankings.  Nestled in behind Ed Baird, Peter Gilmour, James Spithill and Russell Coutts, Ian is looking to break into the top 3 in the course of 2006. 

Sponsorship

Current Sponsors: Pindar

   Rudy Project

   Argo Group

Future Sponsorship: 

Ian is looking for sponsors on all levels in order to continue his record breaking Team into 2010 - please contact Ian for more information.

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